


Magic Will Bring Us Together

by junetree74



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), Regal believer - Fandom, swan queen - Fandom
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-17
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:20:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 42,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22766146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junetree74/pseuds/junetree74
Summary: Set in Season 4a. Follows similar plot, but rewritten with a Swan Queen slant.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills & Emma Swan, Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Comments: 27
Kudos: 171





	1. Destroyed Happiness

**Author's Note:**

> There may be spoilers if you haven't seen Season 4a. Yes Hook and Robin are in this with limited roles. Swan Queen is end game because that is the path that should have been.

Regina stormed out of Granny’s Diner, holding her head between her hands, shaking her head in disbelief. She stopped on the patio. She wanted to run away, but a part of her wanted to see if Emma would come outside after her. Not that she wanted to hear anything she had to say, but for some reason, it mattered. She held in her breath and tears. As predicted, she heard Granny's doorbell ring and it was Emma coming out. Regina let her breath go, stood up straight, clenching her jaw, and prepared herself for whatever pathetic thing Emma had to tell her. She should just leave, but something in her wanted to hear Emma out. 

“Regina, I am sorry. I didn’t mean to cause you pain.”

Regina quickly turned to face her. “But that is EXACTLY what you did! Emma the Hero!" 

“I'm not going to apologize for saving someone's life..." 

“Of course you couldn’t help yourself, you had to save her from the villian…ME," Regina told her sharply.

“You’re not…”

“But I am! Even when I am not trying to be, my past always comes to rob me of my happiness. It clearly doesn’t matter how hard I work to build a better future, because it will be taken away. Whatever I had with Robin, soul-mate or not, is gone,” Regina said, wrapping her arms around herself, the anger in her face turning to defeat. 

It pained Emma to see Regina in pain. "You don't know that..." 

Regina scoffed, “You brought back his dead wife!”

“Regina, I said l’m sorry for that. What can I do to make it up to you?"

Regina laughed indignantly. "Ms. Swan, don't. You’ve done enough. There's nothing you can do to fix this.”

The conversation was going in circles. There was nothing Emma could do, and her apologies were worthless. Regina was about to leave when Robin came out. 

"Wait Regina, please. Meet Marian." 

Marian timidly followed her husband while holding her son. Robin grabbed Regina’s shoulder and turned her around. Regina's face was hard as she looked at Robin. Emma decided to stay where she was, worried about how this encounter would affect Regina. Looking at all of them made her feel even more awful than just a moment ago. This was all her fault. 

“Marian, we all need to talk,” Robin gestures for all of them to sit down.

Marian erupts into a loud voice, "Why? What is going on? She’s the Evil Queen, she was going to kill me!” She looked between Robin and Regina with tears welling up in her eyes. Then it suddenly dawns on her. “Wait! Are you two TOGETHER! She is the Evil Queen! All the terror she has inflicted, how could you..." 

“That’s not who she is now,” Emma stepped forward, reaching for Marian’s arm to try and get her to settle down, but Marian pulled her arm away, looking at Emma in disbelief.

The doorbell rang again. Snow, David and Henry step outside.

“Is everything?" Snow asked rather firmly.

Henry rushed towards his mom, "Mom are you okay?" 

Marian looked at Henry with the same look she gave Emma. "Seriously! What is going on!" Marian yelled. "Why are you all defending her? She's a monster!" 

"Hey! That's enough!" Emma yelled at Marian. 

Regina, unable to take any more, stormed off. 

Robin whined, "Regina! Comeback!"

Emma glowered at him as he stood on the patio, watching Regina cross the street like a tied up dog watching his owner go inside the market. If he wasn’t going to go after her, Emma would. She started to run after Regina. "Regina, wait!" She called out, but Hook came from nowhere and stopped her.

"Let her go love." 

Emma shook from his grasp and looked at him very upset.

“Nothing good comes from pushing that one,” Hook replied. 

Emma was annoyed, even more annoyed that he was right. Regina needed space, especially from her. 

"Henry, please go to her," Emma asked. Without hesitation, Henry nodded at her and followed his mom.

\------------

Regina went directly home. Henry walked beside her in silence. When they got home, Regina went upstairs directly to her room. Henry followed her upstairs.

“Mom, do you want to talk?” Henry asked softly.

Regina gave him a weak smile and nodded no. She entered her room and slowly started to close the door. 

Just before the door closed, Henry said, “I love you, Mom.”

She gave him a quick glance, smiled at him, and said in a cracked voice, “I love you too.” 

Henry saw the tears streaming down her cheeks and it made him feel helpless. He went to his room and texted Emma. 

_ We are home. Mom went to bed. I’m going to stay here. I love you. _

Regina woke the next morning, leaving Henry sleeping in. Her night was sleepless as she tried to quell her mother’s voice in her head, berating her for giving into her feelings. She left for the Mayoral office to drown herself in some work. 

It was a mistake. Robin came to her office to talk. At least he was without Marian. 

\--------

Regina’s heels echoed as she stormed down the hall, into the basement of the hospital where she placed her “special” patients. Coming here was the only thing she could think of after Robin left her office. He wanted to express to her how much he still loved her, but Marian was his wife, and he lived by a code, so he had to be honorable and stay with his wife. He hoped she understood. Regina understood nothing but the wound that had been opened in her heart. Love is weakness and she gave into love once again. 

It was best to try and fix the situation herself. Emma was an idiot who already did enough damage. How could she think that she could fix this? The only thing that could fix this would be to make Marian go away. She would have to remove Marian, and she was the only one who could do what needed to be done, with a little help. 

The nurse opened the cell door and Regina walked in. “Hello, Sidney.”

_______

  
  


Later that afternoon, Henry found Emma out for a walk with her parents.

“Hey kid! How’s your mom?” 

“I don’t know. I slept in, and mom left before I woke up. She was pretty upset last night.”

Emma sighed. "I've been calling her all morning." She pulled out her phone from her pocket and looked at it.

"No offence, Ma, but I’m sure you are the last person she wants to hear from.”

Emma takes one last look at her phone before putting it back in her pocket. “I'll check on her later." 

David catches Henry to hang back with him because Snow wanted to talk with Emma. They stop in front of the General Store and peruse the window display.

“Emma, I am really concerned about Regina.”

Emma looked back to make sure that Henry was not within ear shot. “I don’t know what to do. I know this is my fault, but there has to be a way for me to fix it.” 

"I took away her first true love, now you take away the second. She didn’t respond well the first time around. I’m afraid this might make her evil again." 

“I don’t think so. She has worked too hard to get where she’s at. She did it for Henry. She wouldn't throw that away.” 

Snow looked at her with scared eyes, “I hope you are right. It seems like true love is hard to come by for her. Speaking of loves, how are you and Hook?"

"Shhhh," Emma blurted out and looked behind her. David and Henry were way behind them now.

Snow looked back with her. "Oh! Henry doesn't know?" 

Emma side eyes her mother. "There's nothing to know."

“But you have been seeing each other, no?”

Emma shook her head and shrugged her shoulders, “I dunno. We haven’t even gone on a date, and frankly I’m not sure if I want to.”

"Swan!" 

Emma heard a familiar voice and looked somewhat annoyed. She refused to look back. "Speak of the…” she tells her mother. 

Hook catches up with Emma and walked alongside of Emma. She said to him, “Hey..." 

"I checked Regina's mausoleum just now, and she's not there." 

"Thanks." Emma said rather unconvincingly. She wasn’t sure why Hook was looking for Regina. There was no love between them.

Hook picked up her tone, and her reluctance to look at him. "Swan, are you avoiding me?"

Emma turned to her mom. "Give us a minute please?"

She pulled Hook around the corner. "I’m not avoiding you, I’m dealing with crisis stuff.”

"Crisis is this town’s middle name, but I’m guessing this so called crisis is Regina? There isn't anything more you can do for her, Swan. Yes, you made a mistake. You can’t expect her to forgive you, if ever. It's who she is. You need to move on and live your life."

Emma snapped at Hook. "Regina is hurt, but not heartless, I know we can work this out, I have faith in her event you don't!" 

She was about to walk away when Grumpy came up to her screaming "We’re under attack!"

Grumpy and Sleepy rapidly explained that they were attacked last night when driving home. Someone froze them inside their car, and they just escaped on account of the ice melting. They didn’t see who it was, but it was apparent it was a malicious act. Emma wanted to dismiss their story, since she had seen Grumpy leave Granny’s last night drunk, but Sleepy was his designated driver, and he confirmed Grumpy’s story. However, Grumpy pointed out that there was some mysterious ice on the sidewalk that they should take a look at. 

Sure enough there was an out of place frozen patch of ice that stretched down the sidewalk and down an ally. Grumpy and Sleepy hung back as Emma followed the ice. Hook followed her. The patch went into an unlocked gate of a loading dock, continuing behind some storage. It appeared to be a dead end. 

Hook grabbed Emma by the shoulder. “Careful Emma, you don’t wanna corner them, it.” 

Emma stopped in her tracks and turned to Hook. She whispered, “Then how do you suppose we figure out what’s there?” Soon, there was the sudden appearance of snow above them. The both of them backed up from the corner and watched as the snow began to thicken and turn into its own centralized blizzard. As the snow turned denser, it started to take shape. Soon, they were staring at an eight foot tall snow monster. 

The Snow Monster belted out a growl that was as big and intimidating as itself, revealing sharp, jagged teeth. Emma pulled out her gun and began shooting at the monster to no avail. It cried out once more and ran past her and Hook, jumping over the gate and down the alley. Hook and Emma ran after it, and watched as it barreled its way across down, not caring what was in its path, kicking cars and tearing down power lines. Most people in Storybrooke saw it, and if they were unaware, Grumpy was running down Main Street, screaming “SNOW MONSTER!!!” 

Emma never got another clear shot; not that her bullets did a thing. The Snow Monster made its way towards the forest, and disappeared. 

“Now that is what I call a crisis. It’s heading towards Robin Hood’s camp.” 

\-----

Regina took Sidney back to her vault to share with him the reason for bringing him out. He was very eager to please and Regina found that slightly annoying.

“I knew your Majesty wasn’t done with me. You kept me alive because I still can be of service to you,” Sidney bowed.

“Yes, Sidney. I do need your help.”

“Anything, just say the word.”

“I need to remove an enemy.”

“Ah! I understand. You can never get your hands dirty, but I can and will do the deed for you. Who is it?”

“No, Sidney, I am not talking murder. Even if I don’t kill her myself, I will be the main suspect. This job requires more finess than that.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Emma brought back Robin’s dead wife, Marian, from the past. She rescued her from me. If I could see the moment in which I arrested her, then maybe I can go back and have her executed before Emma appears.” 

“You don’t remember her?”

Regina looks at him with a raised eyebrow. “I arrested so many….and, frankly, she is very vanilla, why would I remember her?” 

“I still don’t understand how I am to help you…”

Regina waved her hand, and with a cloud of purple smoke, Sidney disappeared. She heared him shouting, fist pounding behind the mirror. He cried out, “NOOOOOO!!!!”

“Oh, stop being dramatic. It’s temporary. I need you to show me the moment I arrested Marian.”

Sidney looked at her with sadness, and sighed. “Very well…”

Once Regina saw the moment, she remembered her. It was her mouth that got her the death sentence. 

Sidney's face returned in the mirror. “By the way, you may want to know that Marian is currently in harms way, as well as Robin, as we speak. Emma is there, but I do not think she will be able to vanquish the beast.” 

Regina alarmed, immediately poofs away. 

____

When Emma and Hook reached Robin Hood’s camp the Snow Monster was already there, and Robin and his men were already attacking. The Snow Monster growled, yelled and swiped at them. The men slung arrows at him which were just as effective as Emma’s gun. What was this thing, where did it come from, and what did it want? They joined the men to help fight it, or at best, chase it away.

The Snow Monster came at them boldly as if it finally realized that whatever weapons they had couldn’t harm it. Hook turned to Emma, “What about your magic?” 

Emma nodded. She put her hands up, glowing white light centered around her palms. She closed her eyes in concentration, but knowing she had only a few moments to come up with something effective. She really regretted at this moment not taking more lessons from Regina. 

A blast of light emitted from her hands and struck the Snow Monster in the chest. It caused him to reel back, but it did not knock him down. Suddenly, like the Hulk, it screamed in anger and clenched its fists. As it did, icicle shards sprang from its broad shoulders and down its arms. Everyone facing the Snow Monster was knocked to the ground by its loud cry, except for Emma. It took a swipe at her and knocked her to the ground. It was about to stomp on her when Marian, who was hiding to the side, stood in front of the monster with her bow and arrow and shot at it. It took a swipe at her too, knocking her to the ground. 

Just then, Regina appeared and put herself between Marian and the Snow Monster. The Snow Monster looked surprised at Regina’s sudden presence. Regina was completely calm as she stared at the monster. They held each other’s gaze. Regina turned around to look at Marian on the ground. Marian looked more afraid of Regina than the monster. Regina then poofed away. Marian scrambled to get back on her feet, feeling certain that the monster came from Regina, meant to kill her. 

The Snow Monster did move towards Marian, forgetting that Regina was just there. But then, it stopped and doubled over in pain, grabbing its belly. A red glow started to grow and spread throughout its body. It shot up, arms outstretched, and cried out just before it burst into pieces of slush about the camp. Marian looked up and saw Regina with her arm outstretched. She just vanquished the beast with a fireball. 

Everyone got up, wiping snow off of them. Robin got up and ran to Marian. “Are you ok?” He embraced her. 

Marian’s eyes were glued to Regina. “You saved me…”

Robin saw Regina and said her name softly.

Regina kept her eyes steady on Marian. She refused to look at Robin embracing her. Her work here was done. She turned away from them, about to poof herself away when she heard her name, “Regina!” 

It was Emma. She was apparently fine and safe. She glanced behind her and saw Emma coming toward her. Regina started to walk away. Why must Emma chase her? She hesitated, wondering if she should talk to the blonde who had been blowing up her phone all day. She couldn’t endure another apology that would go nowhere. Regina poofed away, but not before she heard Emma yell “Regina, please, wait, we need to talk…”

Emma wished she knew where she poofed too. She would go after her, but she had not mastered poofing. Emma grabbed a ball of snow and threw it at a tree.

"Crisis averted!" Hook said happily.

"It's not averted,” Emma said irritatedly. “Someone created that thing, and we don’t know who."

"Ah, but we have a quiet moment now, so let's enjoy it while we got it." 

He came up to Emma for a hug, but she pulled back. “Not now, I gotta do something”

“Right. Of course.” He waited for her to say more. When she didn’t, he waved his hand at her, “Go. But don't tell me you're not avoiding me because this is avoiding me.” 

“I know. I am. I feel guilty”

“Over Regina!?”

“I changed her life. I took away her happiness.”

“What does that have to do with us?”

Emma said nothing. 

“There's more to this than just Regina, isn't there?”

Emma thought about that. She wasn't even sure what she felt, but she knew there was more feelings towards Regina than just guilt. Hook was behaving as if they were dating, when in fact, she never really had given him a clear sign of how she felt. She wasn’t sure if he was someone she wanted to be intimate with. Her parents were all for it, so was she leading him on just to please them? He certainly tried hard, but she felt no guilt whenever she rejected him. She stepped forward, and thought about giving him a kiss to quell his insecurities. But instead she reached out for his wrist, “I gotta go.”

Emma Swan didn't have to answer to no one. 

Emma left the forest, swinging by Regina’s mausoleum to see if she was there. She wondered what made her know to find them in the forest and save their butts. She wanted to thank her, she wanted to talk to her, although all she had to say was sorry, over and over. In the forest she saw the pain in her eyes when she looked at Robin and Marian. Emma wanted to embrace her, tell her how deeply sorry she was, and beg for her forgiveness. At this point, she might just do anything Regina asked of her to gain her forgiveness.

Emma didn’t find her at the mausoleum. On her way to Regina’s mansion by way of the main road through town, she passed City Hall. She went to check the Mayor’s office. City Hall was dark and void of people, but in the Mayor’s office, Regina’s desk light was on. Emma quickly went to open the door, but it was locked. She peered through the frosted windows, trying to see Regina’s silhouette at her desk. She noticed she had a fire going in the fireplace.

“Regina!” She called out, but no response, nor was there any movement. 

She tried the door again. When she touched the door knob this time, she suddenly could feel Regina. She tried to reach out to her with her magic, but being that she had had little lessons, her attempt did not work as she hoped. Still, she did feel something familiar, and was sure it was Regina. 

“Regina, please open the door. I know you’re in there.” Emma sighed. “You can’t hide forever. I know my sorry doesn’t change the fact that I have taken away your happiness. But our son brought me back to this town and it's my job to make sure that everyone gets their happy ending. So I am going to work extra hard to help you get yours, just like in his book.” Emma went silent, hoping she could hear any movement from Regina in the office. She heard nothing. She leaned up against the door with one hand. “Come on Regina. You’re a fighter. This hiding isn’t who you are…” Emma knocked on the door and waited. “Ok...for now this is you. But I will keep fighting for you in the meantime.” 

Regina could hear Emma leaving. She was sitting just on the other side of the door with her knees pulled into her chest, head down, trying to keep her sobs quiet. But Emma showing up to call her out infuriated her. Just what the hell did she mean she was going to try and fix this? She can’t fix this, she royally fucked up her life, just like her mother, Snow, fucked up her life all those years ago. Pain spread through her body as she tried not to fall into those dark emotions. That isn’t who she was anymore. She made a promise to Henry to be better and she had risen above her old self. 

Damn Emma coming in here and babbling about happy endings just like in Henry’s book. Henry’s book was so black and white–heros and villians. No matter how much she had risen above, the pages of the book had not shown her progress. Robin’s true love was Marian, just as the book said. Going back in time to kill Marian wouldn’t matter, because it would be a villain thing to do, and Marian would just show up some other way. It wouldn't work. The book had sealed the fate of its characters. 

Self-defeat started to bury its way into Regina, making her feel more down and hopeless when a thought crossed her mind. Who wrote that book? She had been thinking Marian was her problem, but in actuality, it’s the book, or rather, the person who wrote the book. 

She quickly got up from the ground and to her mirror. “Sidney!” 

He appeared and said sarcastically, “Yes, your Majesty?”

“Change of plans. We are not going back in time to kill Marian. We need to find out who wrote that book.” 

  
  



	2. Walls Are Meant to Come Down

“I wonder what a baby dreams about,” Snow said as she puts her son, Neal, down for a nap.

Her husband David passed by. “Bullfighting.”

Her adult daughter Emma also passed by while going to the kitchen, “Laser tag.”

Snow sighed but quietly laughed at the humor they shared, taking a seat, looking exhausted.

“Neal will wake up at midnight for feeding. I better get some sleep.”

“Emma and I will be leaving soon on patrol. You’ll get quiet time.”

Emma was in the kitchen fixing coffee next to Henry, who was packing a picnic basket. She peered over his shoulder.

“Whacha got going there kid? Is that a bottle of red wine? Box of chocolates?”

“It’s for Mom.”

“David and I can’t drink while on patrol, thoughtful tho…”

“No. My OTHER Mom. I’m trying to cheer her up with this basket tonight. This isn’t exactly the remedy I Googled for: How to get over a break-up when your boyfriend’s wife time-travels from the past.”

Emma gives Henry’s shoulder a squeeze. “That is sweet, kid.” 

Just then Snow is startled by an aggressive tap on the window behind her on the couch. She turns and sees a crow. It caws. She opens the window to let it in and it hops in a bit, showing something attached to its leg. Snow reaches over and pulls a small parchment scroll. She opens it, then walks over to Henry. Everyone looks confused.

“It’s for Henry. It’s from your Mother.”

Henry reads the note. His face falls and tears well up. “She doesn’t want to see me.” 

Henry drops the note and walks out the front door. 

\----------------

Emma finds Henry at Granny’s, sitting on the counter with a hot chocolate, extra cinnamon. 

“Look kid, that isn’t exactly what she said. I read the note. She needs space for just a little while, while she is dealing with things.”

“She doesn’t want to see me.” Henry repeats.

“She is in a lot of pain over Robin Hood, and I’m sure this has brought up other painful memories in her past. She always has your best interest in mind, I know it.”

“First she doesn’t want to see you, now me…” Henry begins to look angry.

“The reasons she doesn’t want to see me are different from her reasons for not seeing you. You said the other night you saw her sad. I bet she doesn’t want you to see her like that. She wants to give you her best. Give her time.”

“But someone needs to be there for her. She only has me.” 

Emma had no reply because it was kind of true. Emma would have counted herself as someone there for Regina, but in this case, she couldn’t be, or rather, Regina wouldn’t want her. Asking Henry to stay away was not for the same reason. 

Emma ran her hand over Henry’s head in comfort. “Trust me, she will come around soon. I promise.”

“She’s not making things better by isolating herself.”

Emma had nothing to say to that. Her son was perceptive, and had a great heart. She hoped that as he grew older, he would not learn from herself or Regina to throw up walls and hurt those we love. She sat with him in silence and ordered a hot chocolate. 

\----------

Emma texted David to go on patrol without her for a while. She was with Henry, so give her an hour. 

They sat in silence for the hour. Emma reflected on what an amazing son she had. She felt as though she couldn’t give genetics any credit to her son. Regina raised him so well. He was caring, considerate, and loving, and he understood what was best for others. That was certainly not a trait she could credit herself with. She was the gatekeeper of her heart, fended off getting hurt at any cost, and a runner. If it weren’t for Henry, she would have split this town from the start. 

Regina raised him right. And because of this, it was difficult to perceive her as evil. Even Henry believed her evil for a short while; but he was so young and didn’t understand. Emma had recently faced Regina as the Evil Queen when she time traveled, but it only made her see more clearly how much Regina had changed. The love of Henry changed her. And there was something in that that drew Emma to Regina in a way that she had never been drawn to someone before. 

The lights in the diner started to flicker. She hand Henry looked at each other curiously, then the lights just went out. They waited, expecting the lights to turn back on. 

A customer cried out, “What happened, Ruby forgot to pay the bill?”

Granny came out from the kitchen, giving the heckler a stern look. She went to the window and looked outside. “Looks like the whole block is out.” 

Just then Emma’s walkie-talkie sprang to life, hissing, “Emma?” 

She took it from her holster and answered, “Here, David. What’s up?”

“I think power for the whole town is out. I’m driving around in pitch black.”

“Come and get me. Let’s go check the main power lines.” 

Emma got up, threw money on the counter, and elbowed Henry. “Wanna come along? This can be Operation Nightshade.” 

“That’s ok.” Henry said. He didn’t even look at Emma.

Emma tried to hug him, but he stiffened. So she let him be. 

“There’s extra money there if you want another coco, or something else.” 

She went to wait outside for David. 

\--------

“How’s Henry? Better?”

“No. We sat in silence for an hour. If it weren’t for the power outage, we may have sat quiet forever! He didn’t want to come along. I even gave it an ‘operation’ name, but he refused. He refused a hug. Ugh. That was painful.”

“Sounds familiar.” 

“Oh, great, he is getting bad habits from me. Is that nature or nurture? Just one more thing for Regina to be upset at me for.”

“It’s not just you. Clearly he had two moms that put up walls.”

Emma harrumphed. “It’s not like him to pass-up an ‘operation.’ That makes me really worried.”

“It’s typical for his age to have extreme reactions. He will find his way back. You just have to be ready and persistent, and roll with it. Just like you have been persistently trying to talk to Regina. They may want to give up, but just keep trying. You can’t let them down.”

Emma smiled. She appreciated the dad's advice. She also liked that David validated her trying with Regina. It felt like everyone else but her and Henry didn’t give a damn about her. 

David and Emma drove down the main road out of town. David was the first to say something. “What the hell?” 

Emma could see sparks coming from a down powerline, but the patrol car headlights were reflecting off of a wall structure blocking the road. 

“Well, the main power line was knocked down. What the fuck is that?”

They jumped out of the patrol car to investigate. It is a wall of ice.

“Is winter here? Are we about to have a crossover?”

“What?” David looks at Emma curiously.

“Nevermind.” 

Emma approached the ice wall, touching some of the massive sharp icicles. When she did, she pulled back quickly.

“Too cold?” David asked.

“No. I could feel a strong magical signature. I mean it’s obvious this was made by magic, and maybe by whoever made the Snow Monster. But that signature is strong, as if…” Emma looked around some of the other massive icicles, her senses guiding her to the source of the magic. Behind one of the icicles, she detected movement. She put her hand back to indicate to David to stay back. 

He whispered, “Do you see something?”

Emma nodded. “Hello? Are you the one who made this wall? We are not looking to harm you. I hope you’re not looking to harm us? We just need to talk. What do you want?” 

A woman’s voice echoed from behind the wall. “I want my sister.”

Emma replied. “Ok. We are the Sheriffs of the town. We can do that. What is your sister’s name? Maybe we know her.” 

She got no answer. Emma slowly walked towards the voice. She slipped behind the icicles that lead her to a passageway behind the ice. “Hello? Are you still there?”

Emma got no answer, but she kept moving forward, passing through the hole and into a small cave. At the other end was a beautiful blonde woman, about her height, dressed in a blue sparkling gown. Snow flakes were circling her like her own private snowfall, and the cold match her large, sad eyes. She reacted by holding up her hands and raising her, “Stay back!”

Emma held out her hands, “It’s ok! I’m not armed, I’m not going to hurt you. Who are you? I’ve never seen you in town before. I’m Emma.”

“Elsa. I’m looking for my sister. I found her necklace in that shop full of things. She has to be here!” 

“Mr. Gold’s? I’m not surprised. What is your sister’s name?”

“Anna.” 

“I haven’t run into an ‘Anna,’ but it doesn't mean she isn’t in town. Like I said we can help you find her. Did you make this wall...and the Snow Monster?”

Elsa put her hands up defensively. “Yes, I have magic…”

“It’s ok, I have magic too. Just not like this. Many people in Storybrooke have magic. Some good, some bad.”

“I’m not bad. I just want my sister.”

“I know, I know. I want to help you find her.”

“EMMA! Where are you?” Emma heard David call out, his footsteps getting closer.

“Who is that? What does he want?” Elsa asked alarmed. She tensed. 

“It’s ok, it’s the other Sheriff, my dad, David.”

“Did you find who did this, what’s going on?” David screamed as he came into the cave, gun drawn.

“David, put down the gun!” Emma yelled to David. 

Elsa grabbed Emma by the arm, twisting her arm around her back, pulling her towards herself. “Stay back!”

“Emma, no!” David yelled.

“Everyone just calm the fuck down! Elsa, he won’t harm you.”

“He has a weapon.”

“Yes, just standard procedure. David please put down the gun.” 

“Is this the monster that made this wall, and the killer snowman?”

“David, put down the gun, we can talk about this.”

Just then the cave began to rumble. She was so close to Elsa that Emma felt snowflakes falling on her cheeks. The snowfall became thicker and thicker. “David, get out. I will be fine.”

“I won’t leave you,” David called out, but an icicle from above came crashing between them. David backed out of the cave and ran for the patrol car. 

The cave hole was blocked by more icicles. The floor beneath them cracked open, and Emma and Elsa both fell onto the floor, into another cave in the ice wall. 

Emma got up, holding her head and checking for blood. “Wow, you know how to put on a show.” 

“I’m powerful. Your people should be careful and keep their distance.”

“I can make that happen. So if you can just let us out of this cave, then…”

“Not until I get what I want.”

“You’re sister? Well, I can’t really look for her from here, now can I?” Emma snaped, feeling herself shivering.

Emma’s walkie-talkie was still on her hip holster and it started to hiss and crack. 

“What is that!?” Elsa demanded.

“It’s my radio. My dad is calling me. It’s ok, it’s not a weapon.” She slowly reached for it and picked it up.”

“Dad, can you hear me?” 

“Emma! Are you alive, are you ok?””

“Yes, we are fine.”

“Send your dad to go get Anna.” Elsa demaned.

“Did she say something, what is she talking about? What is this about?” David asks.

“She is looking for her sister. She thinks she is in Storybrooke because she found a necklace of her’s in Gold’s shop…”

Elsa grabs the radio, “...and I want you to bring Anna here. Then I’ll let go of your daughter.”

David started to protest, but Emma grabbed the radio back from Elsa. “Dad, I will be fine. If you can go and see if anyone knows Anna back in town, this will be over quickly.” 

“I’m not leaving you!”

“Dad, I will be fine. Elsa talks big, but I don’t think she means me harm.” She looks at Elsa. “Right? You don’t want to hurt me. I can see it in your eyes.”

Elsa sneers at her. “Don’t think I won’t freeze the whole town to find my sister. She is everything to me.”

“Yes, but we are good, right?” Emma looked at Elsa sincerely.

Elsa paused for a long moment before she nodded.

“Dad, please, go see what you can find out about a resident named Anna, and bring us back a report, in say, one hour? And find someone to fix that powerline.”

\-----

Emma did not expect to be this cold in less than an hour. She started to pace back and forth, holding herself for warmth. She supposed her leather jacket was cheap after all just like Regina always said. 

“So why aren’t you cold? Special immunity?” Emma asked Elsa.

“It’s my magic, so yes. I’m sorry you are cold.”

“Any chance you can make a warm ice jacket?” Emma joked.

Elsa actually cracked a smile. Emma caught it. It almost made her forget about the cold. 

Elsa looked at her curiously, “Why aren’t you afraid of me?”

Emma raised her eyebrows. “Why should I be?”

“Where I am from, people fear my magic. Your dad called me a monster.” 

“He didn’t mean it. He was upset. I have magic, I told you. He doesn’t think I am a monster. He just happened to catch you on a bad day. But he was there to face the Snow Monster. What was up with that? You don’t seem to be an Evil Snow Queen. Did you create that?”

“Yes. I was being chased. I was trying to chase people away from me.”

“That would have been me, and this other guy. We were in pursuit of you. Got a report that you attacked a car.”

“Attacked! I was walking down the road when this thing swerved at me, so I froze it to protect myself.” 

“Ah. I can believe that. Sleepy isn’t the best driver. Well, you have made quite a reputation that isn’t admirable.” 

“I just want my sister. When you bring her to me, we will leave.” 

“You care about her a lot. I don’t know what it’s like to have a sibling that close. I was orphaned most of my life.” 

“I’m sorry to hear that. But yes, Anna and I are close. She is the only one that believes in me and helps me with…” Elsa trailed off. 

“Helps you with what?”

Elsa remained quiet. She saw fear in Elsa’s eyes.

Emma asked, “This magic of yours. It’s reactionary. It’s manifest through fear. Anna helps you with it somehow that is why you are desperate for her.” 

Elsa gives her a dirty look. “It’s none of your business.”

“Am I wrong? Is that why you can’t get us out of here; have to pretend to hold me hostage? Because that doesn’t strike me as your M.O. Part of my magic powers is to tell a lie. And I know you are hiding something.” 

Elsa looked away from her. The cave gave a little rumble. 

“Ok, settle down. I don't want to attack you. I just want to talk.”

“What makes you think you know me?”

“Because I have powers too, and I am not great at controlling them either. I think we are a lot alike.” 

“Anna does help me focus my powers. She is the calm one. If I find her, I can make all this go away, and then we can leave and you will never have to see us again.” 

\------

David returned in an hour, with a crew to fix the power line. David takes out his walkie-talkie. “Emma, are you still there?”

“Yes, I am.” Emma says through clacking teeth.

“You sound weird, what is wrong.”

“Just cold. What did you find?”

“Shit, Emma, are you going to freeze to death?”

“Does that mean you didn’t find Anna?”

David grunts. “No. Nobody I found seems to know an ‘Anna.’ But I will go back and keep trying. There’s going to be a lot of noise out here–crew fixing the power line. I hope that doesn’t alarm Elsa.”

Elsa’s eyes well up with tears. She shakes her head.

“We will be fine Dad. See you in an hour.” 

Elsa speaks up, looking at Emma shiver even more as she walks around slowly with her eyes closed. She asks Emma, “Why can’t you use your power to get us out?”

“I’ve been trying. But I can barely feel my hands and feet. Like I said, I’m not great at magic.”

“Try again. Let me see.” Elsa challenged her.

Emma kind of liked the challenge. So she stood before Elsa, looking on with rapt attention, while Emma tried to focus and perform. However, she was not successful. She didn’t even produce a spark. “Sorry. I think I am just too cold.”

Even though there was no visible evidence of her magic, the attempt caused Emma to lose energy. She suddenly felt colder than before. “I think I just need to lay down a minute.”

Elsa grabbed her, “No, don’t fall asleep. I think I felt your energy signature. I’m sorry, I made you waste energy!”

“I’ll be fine. I’ll just rest a bit and try again.”

“Don’t try again. It’s my turn to try. Anna would not let me let you die on her account. Talk to me, Emma. Tell me more about yourself...were you born or cursed with magic?”

Emma let out a small chuckle. “Those are my only two options? Well, I guess born? Even though it feels like a curse.” Her breathing became short and rapid. “I grew up in a land without magic. I didn’t know about my magic until I came to Storybooke.”

Elsa pulled her into herself like earlier, but this time with less malice. She tried to give Emma heat. “Keep talking. Then what happen after.”

“Oh...there is so much that has happened...stuff like this, a daily thing if you live in Storybrooke,” Emma tried to laugh, but just shivered. “Wanna hear something funny?”

“What’s funny?”

“I’m supposed to be a Savior. I still don’t know what that means.”

Elsa laughed. 

“Are you laughing at me?”

“No, with you. Where I am from, I am a Queen. Born with these powers. But I am the only one I have ever heard of with powers like mine.”

“Great, another Queen,” Emma murmured. Emma thought of Regina. It made her feel terrible to think she might die here and never get to talk to her again. She thought about the last time she saw her face, full of sorrow, yet still beautiful. 

Elsa felt a vibration come from Emma. “What was that?”

“What was what?”

“You vibrated.”

“Come again? I’m shivering…”

“No, like something from deep inside you sparked.”

Emma did feel deeply when she thought about Regina, but how could Else feel that?

Elsa closed her eyes, searching for that feeling again. However, she started to feel a similar wave inside of herself. She thought about Anna, and she felt that vibration grow. 

Emma slumped into Elsa. “Emma, wake up! Don’t fall asleep. You’re turning blue!” 

Elsa could hear Anna’s voice.  _ You can’t let her die. Elsa you can do this, you can get yourselves out! _

Elsa placed Emma on the ground gently. “I have to try.” 

Elsa stretched her arms out and concentrated on making a hole to the outside. At first she wasn’t sure if she could sustain the blast. But Emma grabbed her ankle. “You can do this, I believe in you, just like Anna does.” 

Elsa felt Emma’s vibration again. It gave her encouragement. It felt like Anna giving her encouragement. Her concentration came into focus, and her magic strengthened, bending to her will. 

She broke through the ice wall. 

“Emma! Elsa! Are you ok? David came through, running to Emma who was trying to get herself up from the floor. Elsa helped him pick her up. They carried her out. David threw a blanket around Emma and walked her to the patrol car. “I have the heater running, just what you need.”

Elsa followed David to the patrol car. When Emma was inside, she said, “I am really sorry for the way I behaved. I nearly killed your daughter.”

“The point is now that you saved her. Am I right in thinking that you won’t be causing any trouble like this again?” David asked her firmly.

Elsa, looking ashamed, replied, “Yes, you are right. I behaved poorly. I want to find my sister. I don’t even know how I got to Storybrooke. I don’t belong here, and I don’t remember what happened to my sister. I need help looking for her if you are still willing.”

David put out his hand, “Yes, I will help. My name is David. Welcome to Storybooke. Get the car,” he opened the back door, “we can talk about all of this at the station.” 

\------

At the station, Snow, Neal and Henry were there waiting for Emma and David to return. 

“Mom! You’re alive!” Henry rushed to her, giving her a big bear hug. “I’m already down to one mom, I couldn’t bear to lose another.” 

She wrapped him with her in the blanket. “Hey, now, you haven’t lost Regina. Trust me when I say I know she will come around.” 

Snow guided them both to sit, handing Emma a hot chocolate. “Extra cinnamon.” She beamed at her, then kissed her cheek. Emma stopped her so that she could kiss Neal. 

Elsa hung in the background, observing Emma and her family. It made her miss Anna all the more. Snow caught her attention. “Hi, you are…”

Elsa half smiled, but put out her hand, “I’m Elsa.”

David explained, “Yeah, she is here looking for her sister. She found an object in Gold’s shop that belonged to her, so she thinks she is somewhere in Storybrooke.” David purposefully left out how she was directly responsible for what happened to Emma.

“Oh, I am sorry to hear that, but yeah, we will help you find her. I am the newly elected Mayor, so I will do my best to help you,” said Snow, shaking her hand. “What is her name, maybe I know her?”

“Anna?” 

Snow thought, “No, I don’t know Anna. Henry, does that name sound familiar?”” 

“No. But don’t worry. We are the Charmings, and finding people is what we do, because we don’t like to give up…” Henry said with proud confidence, but he trailed off at the end.

“What’s the matter, kid?” Emma asked him.

“I’m glad you’re alive mom, but there is something I have to go do.” Henry gave his mom a squeeze on the hand and got up and left the station.

\------

Henry ran down Main Street and toward 108 Mifflin Street. When he arrived at the door, out of breath, he started to knock furiously.

“MOM! MOM! I know you can hear me! It’s me...I know you’re in there! I see the study light on!”

Regina, startled in her study, went to the front door slowly. She thought she made her note clear, that she would call for him when she was ready. He was disobeying her wishes. 

“Mom! You can give up on yourself, but I’m not gonna give up on you!” Henry continued to call out to Regina. “And I’m not gonna go away just because you said. I belong with you. You need me right now and I need you!”

Henry waited. He was trying to hear the clacking of his mother’s heels on the hardwood floor. 

Regina stood motionless in the foyer, staring at the door. She had been doing nothing but crying all day, but at this moment, her crying was tears of love and joy at what Henry was telling her. When he went quiet, she thought maybe he had left. She didn’t want him to go. She rushed to the door and opened it swiftly. “HENRY!” 

She startled him. He had his arm raised to knock again. They stared at each other for a long moment before Henry walked into Regina with outstretched arms, “Mom.” 

Regina embraced her boy. She was so happy he came for her.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Won't You Reconsider?

Elsa agreed to take down the wall surrounding the town. Emma went with her because she wanted to see Elsa’s magic in action.

“For not being in control of your power, this wall is amazing...so amazing. I’ve never seen anyone with this power. You said you’ve never seen anyone with this power either, right?” Emma couldn’t help fan-girling for a moment. She’d seen plenty of magic, but there was something about Elsa’s magic that attracted her. 

“It’s probably best that I am the only one with this kind of magic.”

“I think it’s really cool,” Emma said, looking at Elsa. “Pun intended.” 

Elsa smiled. “Alright. Time to take it down.” 

Elsa stretched out her arms and immediately a bluish glow came from her hands. Then what looks like a steady stream of snow. It swirled and grew larger and larger, creeping along the base of the wall. Emma watched with fascination. Then she noticed Elsa wince, and pulled back her arms. The power streaming from her hands started to grow less and less. Elsa shook her arms and tried to focus harder, but the stream started to fade, eventually giving out. Elsa tried again, but the burst she pushed forth came back at her, pushing her back. Emma reached for her so she wouldn't fall. 

“What is going on? Are you ok?” Emma’s voice filled with concern.

“A different magic came back to me. There is a barrier protecting this wall. The magical signature isn’t mine. It’s someone else!” 

\--------

Henry took a seat at the counter at Granny’s to wait for his Mom, but he didn't wait long. When Regina came in, she gave him a hug and a kiss.

“Hello Henry, I got you something,” Regina laid out an assortment of comics.

“Oh cool! Thanks Mom!”

“I hope you don’t have any of them. I wasn’t sure what to get you.”

“No, these are perfect!” 

Regina picked up an issue of S.H.I.E.L.D as Henry picked up Thor. Regina flipped through hers. “Isn’t it funny that these stories are just that, stories, but your storybook is real? What makes them different?”

“Dunno. I don’t think anybody knows.”

“Haven’t you ever tried asking the book for that story?”

“No, it’s never crossed my mind.” Henry looked at his Mom. “Why are you asking me this?”

Regina turned to Henry and lowered her voice. “In your storybook, I’m written as a villain, and I am starting to think that I am fated to stay that way.” 

“But you’re not the Evil Queen anymore. Everyone can see that.”

Regina overlooked Henry’s naive remark and sighed, “Be that as it may, no villian in your book ever gets a happy ending. I have no hope.” 

“So you want to get your story updated?”

“Yes. If I could find the author, or figure out the way the book is written, then maybe I can have a chance.”

“Mom, this is the greatest idea! You’re right, that book is wrong about you. It’s not who you are now, and you deserve a new chapter. We need to find out who the author is!” Henry put down Thor and turned to her excitedly.

“‘We?’ You’re going to help me?”

“Yes! It will be our own secret mission! 

“An ‘operation’ like you had with Emma?” Regina beamed at him.

“Definitely an operation. We will call it ‘Operation…’” Henry grabbed is chin to think.

“Mongoose!” 

“Perfect!” 

Just then Granny’s bell rings, and Robin Hood called out, “Regina, good, you are here!” 

Regina looked behind her quickly, anxiety rising at Robin’s presence. Henry gave him the stink eye. 

“Can we talk a moment.”

“You don’t have to, Mom.” Henry grabbed her arm. 

“It’ll be ok,” Regina turned back to Robin. “What are you doing here?” 

Regina didn't get up. Robin approached her, noting the look Henry was giving him. “It’s Marian, something has happened to her, I need your help.”

Regina closed her eyes. This was the most awkward position. Regina took a moment to answer Robin. Henry reached out for her, “I’ll go with you, Mom, if you are going to go,” Henry said, his eyes still laser focused on Robin.

“I’m sorry to ask, but I didn’t know who else to turn too. She’s been cursed by magic.” 

Internally, Regina groaned. “Come on Henry, let's go see what this is about.” 

\------------

Regina and Henry are taken to the Mayor’s office. “Why are we here? Did this happen here?” Regina walked in and saw Snow pacing around with Neal in her arms. David was tending to the fire place, a roaring blaze inside, as David put in another log. 

“Where’s Marian?” Regina asked . 

“Regina, good you came! Marian is on the couch. She is unconcious.”

“And how did she get this way, and here?” Regina asked, going to Marian’s side. “What’s with the fire?” 

“She’s unconscious and unusually cold,” David replied. 

“We were here for a meet and greet, Snow’s first day in office, and Marian suddenly passed out and stayed like this,” Robin explained. 

Regina noticed Marian had a shock of white hair. “She didn’t have this before, right?” 

“No, this is what made me think it's a curse of some sort,” Robin said.

“But you don’t know from who? Or where? Maybe this is a reaction to the Snow Monster?” Regina tried to sense a magical signature. “No, it doesn’t feel like that magic, or anyone else I know in town. But the magic is strong.”

“It can’t be Elsa. She’s already proven she isn’t an enemy. She’s just looking for her sister. She wasn’t here at the meet and greet anyway,” Snow explained.

There was nothing more annoying to Regina than Snow explaining something to her. And her face showed it. “Who is Elsa?” 

Just then Emma, Elsa, and Hook come into the office. “I got your text Dad, what happened?!” 

Regina stood up, looking Elsa up and down. “You, who created the Snow Monster is it? Can you explain this? Marian is growing cold. You seem to be the ice expert. Explain this?!” 

“This isn’t my magic…”

Regina laughed, “Oh, and we’re just supposed to trust you?”

“You can trust me. If she says it was someone else, it was someone else,” Emma stepped forward, defending Elsa. 

Regina scoffed. “Oh, is that so? You waltzing in here with her and the pirate. The company you keep is questionable, Miss Swan.”

Elsa saw the white hair on Marian’s head. She raised her hand to her mouth. 

“What is it you see? Spit it out!” Regina raised her voice at Elsa.

“I’ve seen that white hair before. It’s a freezing spell. The cold slowly travels to her heart, eventually stopping her heart, causing death.” 

Robin kneels before Marian and cried out, “Who would do this to her? Why?” 

Regina grew uncomfortable. “How do we stop it?” 

“An act of ‘True Love.’” Elsa replied.

Regina grimaced. “Well, then, there you go. I guess I am not needed here after all.” She stepped away from the couch and went to stand next to Henry, who was next Snow. Regina really didn't want to watch True Love’s Kiss happen between her former soul mate and his wife, but she had no choice. Running out would make her appear juvenile. Maybe watching this happen would make her get over Robin. Henry reached for his Mom’s hand and squeezed it. 

Emma glanced over at Regina, knowing that this had to be an awkward moment for her. It served as a strong reminder that all of this was her fault. 

Everyone in the room watched as Robin leaned over to kiss Marian. 

Nothing happened . She isn't awake. Everyone in the room is stunned. 

Except for Regina—she is irritated. “I thought you said that would work, Miss Icy.” 

Elsa stammers. “I don’t know...I mean my sister saved me as an act of true love.It wasn't a kiss.” She walked over to Marian and touched her. “Emma, the magical signature...it feels like the same one on the wall.”

“What wall?!” Regina cried out.

“The wall that is surrounding the town,” Snow replied.

“Made of ice,” Emma said. 

“Seriously. Snow, you have been in office a day, and all of this is happening under your watch?!” Regina looked over at her.

“Mom, it's not her fault. Things always happen in this town.” Henry said.

Regina looked at Henry, but she couldn’t argue. She knew he was right. “Emma, what is with this wall?”

“Elsa and I were trapped in it last night. Elsa originally made it, and when we went to go try and take it down earlier, she couldn’t. Someone else’s magic is now protecting it,” Emma explained.

“Then how did you get out?” Regina inquired further.

“Well, at the time, I couldn’t perform the magic to get us out, as I was freezing and all, but with a little encouragement, Elsa was able to create a hole for us to get out,” Emma replied. 

“So, she almost froze you death, and now you’re friends?” Regina looked at the two of them in disbelief. “David, why didn’t you call me if we had a magical crisis?”

David shrugged, “With all due respect, you’re not the Mayor anymore.” 

Regina looked even more stunned.

Hook spoke up, “If Emma was in danger, why didn’t you call me, mate?”

Emma looked between Regina and Hook, “There wasn’t anything either of you could have done. We got out; we are fine.” 

“I would have been able to do more for you than the one handed wonder! Mayor or not, magical crisis are my business, especially when the Savior needs rescuing!” Regina looked at everyone, daring them to challenge her. 

“Regina, understood. You still care about this town. In the future, we will let you know,” Snow tried to quell the tension. “Can we refocus on the situation at hand?” 

“I need to know, Elsa, where did you come from?” Regina approached her, getting close so she can get a read on her. 

Elsa is intimidated by her. Her hands start to glow blue as she tried to step back from Regina, “I really don’t remember. But I need you to get out of my space.” 

Regina kept closing the distance between them, “Or what? It appears you can’t control your magic very well. I can feel it coursing through you. You are very fearful.” 

Emma stepped forward and grabbed Regina’s shoulder, “That’s enough! Leave her be.” 

Regina turned on Emma. “Well, do you know where she came from? Why can't she remember?”

Emma looked at her, not wanting to tell her, but she had no choice but to tell her the truth, “I brought her in an urn from the past. The urn was in Rumple’s secret magical dungeon.” 

Regina’s face fell. “Are you serious? What other PETS did you bring with you that you’re not telling me about?”

Emma for the first time in a while felt anger at Regina, “Look, I said I was sorry. I royally fucked up. You know it. I know it. Now that I’ve said it, can we just get past it for now? Are you going to help Marian or not? Because right now, Elsa and I are going to go look for whoever did this.” She looked at Elsa, “Come on, we’re leaving.” 

Emma had been spending days begging to talk with Regina, pleading with her to forgive her, but Regina ignored her. But at this moment, Regina suddenly saw a shift in Emma’s eyes that she was over trying, and Regina didn't like. She liked the negative attention she was getting from Emma, liked the control in not answering her, enjoying the twisted desire for her. For some reason, she was deeply bothered.

“Wait,” Regina said. She walked over to Marian and plucked a white hair from her head. She rubbed the hair between her hands and spoke an inaudible incantation. When she opened her hand, there were little snowflakes hovering in her palm. “This is the magical signature of whomever casted the curse. In this form, it will return to its owner. Follow it to find them.” Regina gently blew and the snowflakes started to drift around looking for the door. 

Emma looked at Elsa, nodding for her to go. Emma started walking out the door.

Regina didn’t like that Emma was going to leave without saying anything more to her. “I’d take back up if I were you.” 

Emma turned around, “What is that that supposed to mean?”

“Well, the Savior seems to need saving a lot lately. Elsa is just as bad as you at magic, so…” 

“Oh yeah? Well, I think you’re bitter, and you’re taking out on the wrong person!” 

Regina glared at her. Emma held her gaze for a long moment before turning to leave. It was fighting words, but at least Regina got her to say something to her. 

Hook caught Emma. “I’ll be your back up.”

“This is an Elsa and me thing. Just stay here and help my dad if he needs something. In fact, Snow, can he be a deputy?”

Regina began to protest, but Snow quickly replied, “Yes he can. It’s in the budget.” 

Emma handed him her badge, “There, you’ve been deputized. Stay here.” 

“But I can be of more use to you if I go with you, love,” Hook whined.

Emma’s patience snapped. She didn’t like Regina’s attitude right now, and Hook was the last person she needed on her jock, trying to flirt with her, as she was busy with an investigation. “I am the head Sheriff, I don’t have time to argue with you, you will do as I say. Stay here!”

She turned on her heels and left. She caught one last glimpse of Regina, and she swore she had a smirk on her face. 

\-------

The snowflakes Regina created wafted in the air, down Main Street, and into the forest. 

Emma shook her head, “Always the forest. Come on Elsa.” 

They followed deeper into the forest than Robin Hood’s camp, trying their best to keep up, and not make any unnecessary sounds. The snowflakes eventually began to slow down, then disappear. Emma curses under her breath, looking around. She drew her weapon. Elsa walked ahead of her and in the distance behind a giant tree, with another tree fallen down, there was a women dressed in white. 

“Emma, I see someone, over there,” Elsa pointed. 

Emma silently jogged to her, and pulled her behind a tree. “Let’s stay hidden until we know what this person is up to. Just be quiet and watch.” 

Fortunately, whatever the woman was doing, she did not seem to notice them. She was waving her arms around, a bluish glow would happen here and there, and then they saw sparks. 

“That’s snow! And the bluish glow is like mine! It’s her, and she has the exact same magic as me!” Elsa said to Emma rather excitedly.

“She may have powers like you, but that doesn’t mean she is harmless.”

They watched further, but Elsa started to get antsy the more she saw. “I need to go talk to her!”

“NO! We don’t know anything about her other than she is locking in the town with an ice wall, and she harmed Marian. I don’t think she is approachable. Let’s see if we can see her face. I want to know who she is.” 

But Elsa slipped away, “Well, I have to get a closer look.”

Elsa started to make crunching sounds on the forest floor, so Emma did not feel confident going after her. There was no way the woman in white did not hear that. Emma went on defence, because Elsa just blew their cover. 

Elsa thought she got closer undetected, but the woman in white turned sideways, raised her arm to the side, and opened her hand. From it drops Anna’s pendant. “Looking for this?” She asked .

“My sister’s necklace!” Elsa rushed forward. 

“Anna, yes it is hers,” the lady in white casually said. 

“Give that back! Why do you have it?”

“You left it at the wall. Come, sit, we have so much catching up to do.” She leaned against the tree log and motioned for Elsa to come next to her.

The lady in white seemed so familiar with her and showed no fear. 

“Do I know you?”

“Yes, you’ve simply forgotten, my sweet Elsa. Rock Trolls have a nasty habit of wiping memories.” 

Elsa looked alarmed. “But how? No they didn’t...do you know where my sister is? What happened to her?” She stood in her spot, staring at the emotionless, yet stunning older woman.

“The same thing that happens to every ordinary person—they fear your magic, then they turn on you. How else do you think you ended up in that urn?”

“What do you mean? How do you know about the urn? Who are you? What does that have to do with Anna?”

“She put you there. She captured you in the urn.”

Elsa is shocked. “You’re lying! My sister would never do that to me. She loves me and I love her and we do anything for each other.”

The woman gave an icy laugh. “Ordinary people always turn on you. You have already caused fear in the people of this town...you unleashed a Snow Monster, threw up an ice wall around the town, and poor Marian…”

“I tried to take that wall down but YOU prevented me from taking it down….and Marian...that was your doing too!” 

The woman in white shrugged and gave a coy smile, “An accident…”

“Marian wasn’t an accident, you’re setting me up! Why!? What did I do to you?!” 

“On the contrary, I want us to be close again, like we once were. The quicker the ordinary people turn on you, the faster you will realize that nobody ever really trusts us. In time, they turn on people like us...friends, family...they just need a reason.”

Elsa replied, “You’re insane. This isn’t Arendelle. The people of Storybrooke are different.”

Emma managed to walk around and flank the woman in white. With her gun drawn, she yelled, “Hey! I don’t know who you are or what you want, but are you going to play nice, or will this get ugly?” 

The woman in white looked over at Emma casually. Her eyes grew soft, “Emma…”

Emma didn’t like the way she said her name, nor the way she looked at her, with such affection and familiarity. Emma didn’t know who she was. “Do I know you?”

The woman changed her tune and looked back at Elsa, “No. Your reputation precedes you in this town. You also have magic, Savior. I was just telling Elsa that people like us always have ordinary people turn on us. We three need to band together.”

“No thanks. Elsa and I are doing just fine with the people of Storybrooke.”

“Until you’re not,” the woman in white replied. She stood up, “No matter. In time you will see that I am right. And when they do, I’ll be right here to protect you.” 

“You can’t leave!” Elsa put up her hand, it started to glow. “You have to cure Marian!” 

The woman in white looked at her hands, “And you’re going to stop me? Our magic is the same, only mine is more powerful, and controled. I can teach you…” She turned out the palm of her hand. In it, a little mountain of icicles formed. There was a small snowstorm swirling at its peak, and it was emitting small thunder and lightning. Elsa looked on in admiration. 

Emma took this distraction to try and magically bind her. She was able to hold her in place for a minute before the woman broke free. 

She laughed at their childish games, “The two of you need so much training. Are you sure you won’t reconsider?” 

“Fix Marian, that's all we want from you!” Emma yelled. 

The woman looked between the two of them, then vanished. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Unexpected Surprises

Emma took a time out when she arrived back at the station in her office and closed the door. She was haunted by the way that woman in white looked at her. There was so much familiarity between the two of them. And she made things even more mysterious by turning away and denying it. But Emma could tell she was lying. Emma had never seen her in Storybrooke. She racked her brain trying to figure it out. 

After a few minutes, David knocked on her door. It really wasn’t a private office; all the walls were windows. Emma looked up at David and nodded for him to come in. 

“Hey, you ok?” 

“Yeah, it’s been an action packed morning.”

“Elsa was telling us about the woman in white. She’s to blame for the ice wall and Marian? And she seemed to know the two of you?”

Emma nodded. “It was creepy. At least for me. I don’t run into a lot of people from my past. I don’t have many to speak of.”

“Well, maybe she just knows you from around town? You are the Savior, and royalty, so…” 

Emma raised her eyebrows in a “whatever” reaction. She got up and led David out of her office. Hook was sitting and listening to Elsa talk about what just transpired.

“Elsa, I was thinking that maybe Regina needs to hear all of this. I am presuming she hasn’t come up with a way to break the curse?” Emma looked at both David and Hook to fill her in.

David spoke, “No. In fact, Marian became worse. She started to turn completely to ice. The only thing Regina could think of doing was to remove her heart and preserve it until she can figure something else out.” 

“And then she and Robin got into a tiff about how True Love’s Kiss didn’t work because he loves her, but he has a code to live by, and will still stick to his wife. It got awkward really quick,” Hood explained.

Emma felt bad. “And what happened with Regina?” 

“She left with Henry. She was upset,” David replied.

“Where did she go?” Emma asked. She pulled out her phone and started to text her.

“We don’t know,” Hook said.

_ Regina, thank you. We found the source. Are you up for coming to the Sheriff station to hear what we uncovered? _

Emma put her phone away. “Mom said she was going to leave census files for us to look through, see if we can find Anna anywhere. Are they here?”

“Yes!” David retrieved three file boxes. “Here are records here from the first and second curses. If she is here, we will find her.” 

Emma’s phone chimed . “Hook can you clear off one of the desks so we can start looking at files?” 

He nodded and started to do as she asked. 

_ I will be right over. _

“Regina will be here soon.” 

\------

Regina heard everything Emma and Elsa had to say. 

“Well, at least she didn’t turn you into Otter Pops. But you really didn’t get much information.” 

Elsa said, “No, I guess we are back to square one.” 

“We have some census files we are going to go through. We hope we can find Anna, maybe turn up something on that woman too,” Emma told Regina.

“In my office, well, my old office, there are some boxes of files on people I made Sidney investigate for me. Maybe you can use those, turn up something there?” Regina offered .

“Those would be great to have! Can we get them now?”

Regina’s face twisted with displeasure. 

Emma remembered that Robin was there with Marian. 

“You know, it’s ok. Just tell me where they are and I will go and get them.” 

Regina looked at her surprised by the consideration. She nodded at her. “Thank you. I better get going. I just dropped Henry off at home, and was on my way to my vault to do some research.” 

“I’ll walk you out,” Emma got up with Regina. 

Elsa stopped Regina, “Thank you, Regina. I know we got off on the wrong foot, and I understand why. Thank you for helping.” 

Regina looked her over. She still did not completely trust her, but she decided for now to leave it be. But Elsa didn’t seem to count her as an enemy, so Regina had to give her the benefit of the doubt. “You’re welcome.” 

Outside, Emma asked, “Regina, are you ok? For what it's worth, I think it's admirable helping the wife of the man you love.” 

Regina stopped walking and turned to Emma with a wide grin, “So I’ve impressed you? Well it makes it all worth wild then!” 

“Why are you getting sarcastic? I’m paying you a compliment; giving you credit for doing something most people wouldn’t do. It’s heroic.”

Regina chuckled, “Oh, are you? So now what? You gonna give me membership into the Savior club? We get to be ‘besties,’ and you get to move past ruining my life? Stop trying to win me over so you can assuage your guilt!” Regina raised her voice. 

Emma was about to speak, but Regina cut her off. “Intentionally or not, you ruined my happiness. Do as I have always done—learn to live with the guilt.” 

Emma could not bear the guilt. But she really didn’t know what to do. Regina was right. There was no way to make up for what she had done. “Fine. Then let’s move on. But I still want to be your friend. Let’s have dinner tomorrow night.”

Regina was taken back. “What?” 

“You heard me. Let’s just go out tomorrow night and finally just get to know each other. I think we have become more alike than you realize.” 

Regina didn’t know what to say, she was flabbergasted. ‘Unexpected Surprises’ was turning into Emma's middle name.

“I...I don’t know,” Regina hesitated. “Maybe. Figure out the details and text me tomorrow. I’ll see how I feel.” Regina quickly turned around and walked off. 

Emma watched her walk away. She was even surprised by the invite to dinner. Why couldn’t she let Regina Mills go? 

Once Regina was out of site, she took a walk to Granny’s to pick up pastries and coffee for everyone back at the station. They might be pulling an all-nighter looking at records. She also planned on getting those files, tonight, from the Mayor's office. 

Hook was sitting on the patio of Granny's when she exited. She was about to ask him if he could go with her to get those files from the Mayor’s office when he said, “Swan! Come and join me. I have a couple of shots ready to go.” 

Emma threw him a dirty look. Just when she thought he was going to be useful. Emma kept walking, “No thanks. I didn’t think I needed to tell you that there is no drinking on the job.” 

“Not even on a break? Come now, take a seat. You need to relax after the day you’ve had,” Hook persisted.

Emma kept walking. 

“Come on, don’t make a man drink alone.”

She yelled behind her, “I’m not in the mood for a drink, or a man.”

He got up and started following her. “Hey, I’m sorry I caused you grief today, or any other day, or I wasn’t there for you when you needed me.” 

Emma stopped and turned to face him. “You know. I haven’t been very clear with you. I will own up to that. If I have given you mixed signals I apologize for that. But let me make myself very clear right at this moment: I am not interested in you. I appreciate you wanting to be there, but I can’t help feel as though you are doing it to gain my favor. I do things because I give a shit about this town, and the people in it. We are different, and we will never work.” 

Hook looked down and took a moment. A slow laughter grew from him as he looked up at Emma, “Fine. I’ll give you space. But you will come to see that I am the only one for you.” 

He sulked away into the night.

\-------

“Mirror, Mirror on the wall, tell me what I want to know most of all?” Regina said at her mirror in her vault.

Sidney appeared, “I’m sorry your Majesty, but you have many things you want to know.”

“Have you found HER?” Regina said impatiently. 

“And which ‘her’ would that be? Snow White? Maid Marian? Emma Swan? Her Majesty has so many women to keep track of.” 

“Cut the sarcasm Sidney. I know you don’t like to be trapped, but I need you.” 

“Oh yes, the woman in white. Sorry to say no, I have not found her.” 

“Find her! I am running out of time to save Marian. If I can’t find a cure, then I will find her and make her cure Marian.” 

“Yes, your Majesty,” Sidney said as he faded away. 

Henry came in just as Sidney faded.

“Mom who were you taking to?” 

Regina turned around startled. “Nobody.”

Henry looked at her suspiciously, but he let it go because he had exciting news. “I think I have an idea of where to find more about Operation Mongoose!”

“You do? So soon?”

“Yes! I bet there are clues in my grandpa's shop.”

“David?”

“No, Mr. Gold.”

Regina flinched. “I don't know if I am comfortable with that…”

“It will work. I just ask him for a job because I want to learn the family business! That's believable.”

Regina thought for a moment. Gold would most likely want an opportunity to be close to his grandson. As much as she didn't like him, she knew he values family. She sighed. “Ok. But promise me you're going to be smart and patient. He will fire you if he suspects anything.” 

Henry gave a little bounce. “Don't worry mom, I’ll do fine.”

\--------

Emma, Elsa and David did pull an all nighter, anxious to uncover something. Finally, a box retrieved from Regina's files uncovered a clue.

“Emma, did you know Regina had a whole file on you here?” Elsa said while opening a manila envelope filled with a stack of pictures. 

Emma gave a fond laugh, “I don't doubt it. When I first came to town, she had her henchman, Sidney, follow me around. He thought he was so stealth.”

Elsa stood next to Emma, passing pictures to her as she continued to look for clues. 

Emma started to reminisce, “Wow, she has a lot of Henry and I. Look, Dad, at how small Henry was. I can't believe this little shit found me and went to find me all the way in Boston by himself!”

“The Charming force is strong with that one,” David laughed. 

“Woh, wait. Emma, look!!!” Elsa exclaimed as she shoved a photo in her hand.

Emma took the photo and saw something unbelievable. “Holy shit! I don't remember this! What the hell?!”

David came over to see what set Emma off. She showed him the photo. “Is that her?”

“Yeah…looks like in the ice cream shop. Henry and I go there all the time, but why can't I remember this, or why didn't I notice her face?”

David leapt to the records and started to dig around. “I got it. The name of the shop owner is Sarah Fisher. Here is her business licence, but she isn't in the census records. That is odd. Is this an alias?”

Emma huffed. “I don't know what this means, but I don't like it. I'm gonna go see if I can track down Sidney. And then go home and sleep. I’ve got some things to take care of later.”

  
  
  



	5. Between Friends

“It’s not a date.” 

“If you’re not going to Granny’s to eat, it’s a date,” Snow insisted.

Emma took one last look at herself in the mirror, making sure she didn’t look like she was going on a date. “What is it about what I am wearing that says, ‘date?’”

David and Snow looked Emma over. She was dressed kinda business professional—black slacks, a white button up shirt, no tie, black blazer. David and Snow looked back at each other and grinned. 

“What?! Come on! Tony’s is an upscale restaurant, I can’t go dressed like me.”

Her parents giggled. “Does Regina know where you are taking her tonight?”

“I’m not taking her anywhere. We are MEETING there, so yes, she knows.”

“And she made no comment?” David asked.

“All she asked was how did I get such fast reservations.”

“And just how did you?” Snow inquired.

“Tony said I could go anytime I wanted after I found his two dogs that had been lost for days. Those dogs mean everything to him. I needed some kind of big gesture to show Regina I’m serious about making amends; this is a good time to cash in.”

Snow and David argued no further with their daughter. They felt they knew better, but they figured they would let her figure it out for herself. 

\--------

Regina sat at the bar, having a cocktail, waiting for Emma. She arrived extra early because she didn’t know what else to do with herself. She had spent a good amount of the day researching a spell that would revive Marian; it wasn’t easy trying to save the wife of your soul-mate. If she ever saw Tink again, she would blast her to pixie dust. It was she who gave her hope. 

Regina was dressed a little more elegantly than usual. She knew Tony’s was an upscale place with a dress code. She wondered how it is that Emma chose to come here. It felt more like a date-restaurant than a hang-out spot with your frienamie. Even so, she needed something to take her out of her pity-party, and well, this was as distracting as it came. She wondered what Emma would be wearing. 

Emma arrived five minutes before their agreed time. Regina was sitting at the far end of the bar, facing the door. She saw Emma pop her head in, look around, then pop back outside, looking at her phone. 

“The nerve of her to think I am late,” Regina muttered to herself as she got up and walked outside. She tapped Emma on the shoulder.

Emma swung around, at first jumpy at who was getting her attention, but smiled when she saw it was Regina. Her eyes wandered up and down Regina, noting how stunning the blue cocktail dress she wore made her. She was even more flawless, if that was possible. When she met Regina’s eyes again, she blushed. “Oh, good, you’re here.”

Regina caught how obvious Emma’s eyes inspect her. Regina was about to belittle her for thinking she was late, but she held her tongue. Regina suddenly felt like she was on a date rather than two friends getting together. She was intrigued. “Well, Miss Swan, you look much nicer out of leather jackets.” She purposefully let her eyes roam Emma’s body in turn. She watched Emma become uncomfortable and blush. It was cute. “Shall we go inside?” Regina asked.

Emma reached for the door and opened it for Regina without thinking. 

Emma spoke to the hostess. She nodded, and pressed a button at her station. Soon, a tall, large man with a big black moustache came out from the back with wide open arms. 

“EMMA!!!” 

Emma was surprised and slightly embarrassed. She dared not look at Regina. 

“Hi, Tony! Thank you for this.” Emma reached out for a handshake. Tony pulled her into a hug.

“Anytime, I told you. You brought back my hearts, Lady and Tramp. I wanted to give you an extra thank you! So, you are here on a date?” Tony winked at her. Suddenly his eyes fell on Regina. “Madame Mayor! What an honor. I will make sure I seat you soon, once Emma is seated.” 

“She’s with me, Tony.” Emma said nervously. 

“Oh! I see, this is your date. Well, then without a doubt you will get the best seat in the house!” Tony turned to the hostess. “You know where to put them. Madame, Emma, I will be sending over a bottle of wine to start. Champagne and dessert on me. Have a lovely time, ladies.” He smiled at them mischievously, looking pleased with himself, as he went back to wherever he came. 

Emma felt frustrated that she didn’t get a chance to explain to Tony that she wasn’t on that kind of date. She got the courage to look over at Regina, who stood by silently observing everything. Regina remained wordless, having a grin similar to Tony’s.

They were taken to a booth toward the back of the restaurant where the lights seemed dimmer than the rest of the place. Emma was sure they were given the couple’s booth; it was rather large, and U-shaped, but it forced a couple to sit somewhat near the center rather than at the opposite edges. Doing so would make for far and awkward dining. 

The two of them slid in. Emma watched how far Regina made herself comfortable before settling down. When Emma settled in, Regina put her purse between the two of them. It was just enough room for her purse, and to put a hand down. 

Regina asked the hostess to close out her tab at the bar after bringing her another cocktail. “Would you like a drink, Swan?” 

“Oh, um, sure. Scotch straight.” 

The waitress nodded and left. 

“Thank you, Regina.” 

Regina nodded, and turned slightly to face Emma. “Tony really likes you.” 

“I guess he is fond of me. I don’t know how to absorb appreciation like that. I didn’t think he would make an appearance like that.” 

“You mean, wanted to see your ‘date’?” Regina chuckled.

Emma turned beet red. “I am so sorry I didn’t get a chance to explain…”

Regina gave her a gentle grin. “It’s ok. Let them think what they want to think. I mean, does it matter?” 

Emma didn’t expect this kind of reply from Regina. She thought that such a misunderstanding would be held against her. Emma nervously laughed, “I guess it really doesn’t matter. Well, it matters, you matter. I just didn’t want to have more coals heaped on my head for all the things I have done to you lately.” 

Regina eyed her for a few seconds. Their drinks arrived. Regina closed out her tab. As she took this moment, she thought about how much anger, disappointment and hurt she had been in for the last few days. Her emotions got in the way of seeing how sincerely sorry Emma was. If she was supposed to be a better person, she had to keep making progress.

“Emma, what you did was a mistake. I don’t want you walking egg-shells around me. My motivation for being a better person is Henry. We share Henry, and we need to strengthen our relationship for his sake.” 

“I want to keep moving forward too. We were doing ok before I went back in the past. We helped defeat your sister together. I really felt like we had bonded like a family.” 

Regina sighed. “I’m sorry my reaction was so hard. I felt betrayed by you. And, well, it reminded me of how your mother betrayed me.”

Emma winced. 

Regina continued, “But, I am not that person anymore. This was an honest mistake.” There was a dramatic pause. “It’s really Tink who’s to blame.”

Emma was taking a sip of her drink. She raised her eyebrows at Regina.

“I’m kidding! There really is nobody to blame but myself. You saw me at my worst, and you knew what I was capable of. You were just being who you are.” 

“You know, I did see you at your worst—the Evil Queen. It was hard to comprehend that was you, because the person I know is Regina–the woman who has loved and nurtured my son to be an outstanding person. Thank you, if I haven’t said it before.”

Robin Hood also said something similar to what Emma just said—he knew just Regina. She never realized that Emma saw her that way too. Regina didn’t know how to respond. She was having mixed emotions. 

“I appreciate that, Emma. You know, I want to kill you less and less the longer we know each other,” Regina said with a smile.

Emma chuckled. “That’s progress!” Emma raised her glass. “Cheers!” 

“Cheers!” 

The bottle of wine arrived, and the waiter asked if they were ready to order. Emma said no, they had not looked at the menu. Regina did order appetizers of calamari and mozzerella sticks. 

“Oh! I love mozzarella sticks!” Emma said. 

“Yes, I figured you would. Sorry to say, they don’t have fish sticks,” Regina said with a gentle snark as she opened her menu.

“Hey...fish sticks are good in a pinch,” Emma laughed. Regina laughed with her. 

After a few moments, Emma asked, “What will you order?” 

“I always get the chicken cacciatore, but the chicken florentine is calling to me.” 

Emma was a little disappointed there was no pizza on the menu. She guessed this is what made Tony’s such a fancy Italian restaurant.

The waiter showed up with their appetizers. Regina looked at Emma, “Are you ready to order?” 

Emma nodded, and signaled for Regina to order first. She ordered the florentine, and Emma ordered the cacciatore.

“You won’t be disappointed with that. Ever had it?” Regina asked. 

“No, but you seem to like it. If you don’t like your florentine, we can switch.” 

Apparently Emma had a thoughtful side, “Good plan, Swan. Thank you. So, tell me, did you and Icy Queen uncover anything?”

“Elsa, yeah. In fact, we discovered a photo of me and the woman in white talking in the ice cream shop! It was in a pack of photos Sidney took of me when I guess you were spying on me.” 

Regina was about to protest, but there really was no point. Emma wasn’t accusing her of anything. In fact, Emma seemed amused. “Did you? And…?” 

“And nothing. I don’t ever remember talking to her. It looked like a heated argument. Sidney never mentioned that to you?”

“Never. There was never anything to report when it came to you. Of course I thought you were here on a nefarious mission, but you were as boring as could be,” Regina smirked at her. 

Emma replied, “And yet it has taken all these years to trust me.” 

Regina snorted, “Please. I had reason not to trust you. You were destined to break my curse, even if you didn’t know it.” 

“I broke it. But it sure came with a lot of other shit besides!” 

“Isn’t that right,” Regina said before grabbing a mozzarella stick. 

“Thought you didn’t like those?”

It took Regina some time to defend herself as she got the hot, masticated cheese under control. “I never said I didn’t like them. How can one dislike deep fried cheese?”

Emma couldn’t believe how easily they were getting along. But she still had questions about the picture of her and the lady in white. “So this picture...it does have me really bothered and creeped out.” 

“I know the shop owner is Sarah Fisher. I paid her no mind because so many people I didn’t know came with the curse. She opened the shop shortly after you came into town, I remember that. Henry was so excited.”

“There would be no way you would have known her even if you could. She isn’t in the census records.”

“Oh that is strange. Are you sure?”

“Yeah, David and I checked them twice. I’m wondering if she followed me into town. We still haven’t found Elsa’s sister Anna.”

Regina repositioned herself in her seat to face Emma more. “This Elsa. You brought her with you from Rumple’s secret vault, right? You trust her?”

“I did bring her, indirectly. And I trust her.” Emma poured wine for herself and Regina. 

“What do you mean? Why were you in that vault anyway?”

“Rumple put us there. He let me take the wand that could open the portal, because only the person who came through the portal could reopen it. But Zelena had taken my powers, so he threw us down there for ‘safe keeping.’”

“Right. Which leads me to another question: what made you go near that portal in the first place? Without magic, what did you think you could do?” Regina scolded.

Emma said, looking dejected, “You’re right. If I hadn’t gone, then I would have never brought back Marian. I know.” 

Regina sat up, “Yes. But that's not my point; you carelessly put yourself in danger.” 

Emma didn't expect her comment. “I, well...I suppose it’s my Savior nature.”

Regina raised an eyebrow at her. 

“Anyway, Hook had picked up the urn from a shelf on the wall. I told him to put it down, don’t touch anything. If this was the room where the dark one put magical items that not even HE wanted near him, then the room was dangerous. I broke down in frustration and panic; we were trapped, I had no magic, and I would never see my family again. The more I felt the need to get back, my desire started to stir in me, and I felt my magic again. I tried the wand and it was enough magic to open the portal. But I guess the urn got sucked in since it was near the portal.” 

Regina was actually paying close attention to Emma as she told her story. “I thought that you may have got your magic back somehow because you went back in time, and it confused the timeline.” 

“No. It’s like I rebirthed it again.”

“That is truly fascinating. There is so much to magic that we don’t know.”

“Exactly. Just like how you were able to change your dark magic to light magic to defeat Zelena!” 

“Yeah, well, I may have been a hero for the day, but I clearly cannot get a happy ending,” Regina said grimly. “You get some of your magic back and you get a new best friend.” 

Emma finished her drink and started on a glass of wine. “Elsa. You don’t like her, do you?” 

“No, I don’t. You trust her, but I don’t.”

“You trust I can spot a liar?”

Regina nodded and begrudgingly said, “Yes, your ‘superpower.’ Well, I feel things too. I can’t explain.” 

“What do you feel about her sister Anna then? Think there is any way to restore Elsa’s memories so she knows what happened to her?”

“I’m not feeling anything in that area. It’s other feelings that I can’t explain. And if I knew how to restore memories, we wouldn’t have been stumbling around in the last curse.”

“True, true. But you were able to transfer memories to me.”

“Different.”

“But the best. It helped Henry and I establish a convincing life. I can never thank you enough for that. You and I share memories. That just blows my mind.” 

Regina had not really stopped to think about that. It made her feel vulnerable. “Yes... you’re welcome.”

There was a moment of silence between the two of them, but Emma soon broke the silence. “Since I came back, as you know, my magic isn’t totally in control. And I really don’t know what to do. I was wondering if you can train me again?”

“I thought you were working out your magic with Ice Queen?” 

“Elsa. No, she is about as bad as me. The Ice Cream Woman offered to train us, though.”

“She did?”

Emma nodded, “Kind of creepy.”

“Do I have to train your friend? I don’t want to.”

Emma giggled. “No. I’m just asking for myself. It’s ok if I were to turn around and help Elsa, right?”

Regina didn’t answer right away. Training someone in magic could be intimate and bonding, and when it came to being close to Emma, she put up resistance. The thought that Emma would train Elsa bothered her.

Perhaps it was the alcohol getting to Emma’s head, but she reached out to Regina’s hand resting on her lap. “I don’t have to teach her anything you teach me. But please say yes? My magic is always stronger with you, so I know I will learn fast.” 

Regina looked down at Emma’s hand in hers; it sunned her. But her eye caught a marking on Emma’s inner wrist. She was about to ask her about it when the waiter arrived. 

“Here are your dinners, ladies. So sorry for the wait.” 

Emma let Regina go. The waiter served them, let them know their plates were hot, made some awful witty comments, before asking them each if there was anything more they wanted. 

Emma smelled her dish. “Wow. This looks and smells amazing.”

Regina watched Emma’s eyes dazzle over her dish. “I know you will enjoy it.” She saw that Emma’s glass of wine was empty and proceeded to pour her a new glass. “It goes very well with wine.” 

Emma realized her head was swimming a little bit. “It’s not this kind of date, Regina. So no point in getting me drunk.” Emma took a chance at making a cheeky joke.

“Even if it was that kind of date…” Regina was trying to find a snarky comeback, but she couldn’t think of anything. If it was that kind of date, yes, she would want to get Emma drunk. Regina shook her head at her truth. Regina just changed the subject before her hesitation became obvious. “Yes, I will train you.” 

Emma lifted the napkin to her mouth, food still hot in her mouth, and replied excitedly, “You will! Thank you. I swear I will be a much better student than I was before.” 

Regina was hesitant before to train her, especially since all she had to offer was dark magic. And how could it be the Evil Queen’s job to train the Savior anyway. But, her life never made sense. “Good has come from your mistake, I think,” she said to Emma as she tried her dinner. “And good news, I won’t be taking your cacciatore away from you.” 

The two of them eased into a conversation about food, what some of her and Henry’s favorite places in New York were. Emma expressed that she hoped that someday when Storybrooke became normal, she and Henry could take her there one day. Regina liked the sound of that. In the meantime, she hoped that they could come over sometimes, and she would cook dishes her father made her. It had been a while since she cooked them for Henry, and she was sure he’d love to share that food with her. Emma loved the sound of that more than she could express. 

“Henry got a job, by the way.”

“He did? He didn’t tell me he wanted a job. Where?”

Regina made a face. 

“Oh, no, where…” Emma looked on in anticipation.

“Gold’s.”

Emma’s face dropped. 

“I know, I know, but it is his grandfather. I didn’t want him to, but Rumple does value family. He isn’t going to harm him.”

Emma thought about the desperation in Rumple’s eyes when she went back in time and he asked her for information about his son. Deep down, he was a family man. “Ugh. Yes, you are right. But that shop is dangerous. Things in that vault of his I remember seeing in his shop. Henry is much too curious.”

Regina hesitated, wondering if she should tell her the full story. “Ok the truth is, he’s doing it as part of an ‘operation.’”

“What? We don’t have an ‘operation’ right now.” 

Regina snapped, “‘Operations’ don’t revolve around you. This is OUR ‘operation.’”

Emma put her hand up, “My bad. You are right. He can have ‘operations’ with whomever he likes. And I’m glad it’s with you. But why Gold’s shop of all places? What are you up to?”

“He has concerned himself with my lack of a ‘happy ending.’ We got to talking, and I was thinking that maybe if we could find the author, we could get him to change my fate.” 

“That is a great idea!”

“Yes. So he thought he could find a clue in Rumple’s shop.” 

“He is a brave and clever kid. I don’t want to step in on your ‘operation,’ but I’ll keep my eyes and ears open too. He isn’t the only one interested in your happy ending.” 

“I know. Heard what you said when you came looking for me at the office.” 

Emma blushed. “Well, it’s true.” 

Just as they each almost finished their dishes, the waiter came with the dessert tray. He placed down four desserts: tiramisu, a napoleon drizzled in chocolate, italian rainbow cookies served with a scoop of spumoni, and a panna cotta topped with fresh sliced strawberries. Each of their eyes grew. The waiter then popped open the bottle of champagne, and just before he poured, he dropped two strawberries in each glass. “The lovers special,” then he filled each glass. “Enjoy!” 

Regina and Emma looked at each other. Emma’s mouth was agape, about to repeat what the waiter said. Regina looked at her, knowingly. They both decided not to address what he said. They just took their glasses, and cheered each other. Regina went for the panna cotta, took a scoop in her spoon. “Ever had this? Heaven.” Regina turned to Emma. 

Emma looked stupefied as she watched Regina and the spoon come at her. Regina was about to feed her the dessert. She started to scream internally. Her body was all for it, as it moved of its own accord forward and accepted the dessert. The rich taste of the dessert took over her senses, and she closed her eyes and hummed. “What is that?” 

“Panna cotta, my favorite.” Regina took a scoop for herself, with the same spoon. 

Emma liked the level they just hit. Maybe they needed to drink more together. 

They were like two little kids sharing and savoring dessert. They ordered espressos to combat their food coma and pending sugar crash. 

Emma told Regina a bail bond story and how the perpetrator got away by throwing a banana peel at her, and she slipped on it. Regina started to laugh like she never heard her laugh before. And that is when it hit Emma– _ I always want to hear her laugh, I can’t live without her. _ This not-a-date finally turned into a date for Emma. It dawned on her that she had never had this much fun, or this much connection with anyone in her life–from fake, undercover dates, to real dates, including Walsh, whom she was about to be engaged to. Emma’s inability to let Regina be, and desire to make sure her needs were met, was because she was falling for her. At her realization, Emma didn’t feel like running away. She wanted to continue and sit in this moment, soaking in how carefree Regina was next to her, laughing. 

“You are laughing at me, and it’s ok. I get it.” Emma said. 

Regina didn’t deny it. “It could only happen to you.” Regina wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes. Coming down, she noticed her belly ached, but she felt euphoric. It was a feeling she didn’t experience often, yet Emma got her to this point. Emma got to her. She always found her attractive, but Regina was too wrapped up in self-preservation to be bothered with pursuing her; and she is the daughter of her life-long enemy. To go there was unthinkable. But clearly enough had changed between them to make the change in her attitude. She looked at Emma, smiling and so proud of herself for making her laugh.

A hum and soft glow from Regina’s purse broke their moment. Regina quickly took her purse and started to scoot from the booth. “Excuse me, Emma, I have to visit the ladies room.” 

Emma noticed her purse do something funny, but she let Regina go without question. It could have put a stain on the moment. She waited, reflecting on their time together and not really wanting it to end. 

Regina was irritated to get a message from Sidney now. She had not thought about Marian or the woman in white at all through dinner. Sidney better have an answer for her. She locked herself in the bathroom and pulled out her pocket mirror. 

When Regina returned to the table, she looked very serious. Emma didn’t like that. 

“What’s wrong?” Emma asked.

“I have just been informed that your Elsa has been captured by the Ice Cream Queen. We better go now.” 


	6. Winning and Losing

“Why did you lure me here?” Elsa asked the woman in white as she stares of the ice figure of her sister Anna. Moments ago, Anna appeared living and breathing. She called out to Elsa, begging for her help. It was the first time she had actually seen her sister’s face, so she followed this apparition out of desperation. When she finally got a chance to hug her sister, that’s when she realized it was not her, and “Anna” turned to ice.

“It was simple. But more importantly, I need you.” 

The woman in white threw up her hands and Elsa’s wrists were suddenly cuffed. It startled her and a patch of ice appeared beneath her feet. She felt her magic starting to spin out of control, throwing her into a panic. Chains appear down the cuffs, and they bound her to the ground. She started to pull and tug, but she slipped on the ice. The chains suddenly shorten, and force her to her knees. She pulled her arms more. She cried out, “Why are you doing this to me!?” 

“I’m not really doing anything to you, my dear Elsa. It’s your fear that is holding you back. The more fear you feed into the chains, the tighter they become.” 

“Please, just let me go. Tell me where to find Anna and we will leave Storybrooke.” 

The Ice Cream Queen frowned , and knelt down to look at Elsa directly. “I’ve told you, Anna betrayed you. She fears you. She put you in the urn. Will you never learn to embrace your power? Be who you are meant to be?” 

Elsa began to sob. “You lie.” She tried to shake herself free, but the chains tightened more. “You’re hurting me.” 

The woman got up. “You will stay there until you learn your lesson. In the meantime, your fear will serve my purpose.” She turned and started to walk away.

“WAIT? You’re going to just leave me here? Where are you going?” 

“I have to go and collect something else I need. If you want your freedom, that’s between you and your fear. All you need to do is just let it go!” 

\------------

_ My Queen, I have news. I have found the Queen’s lair. I will lead you to her... _

“How do you know where she is?” Emma huffed as she tried to keep up with Regina. 

“Because my source is reliable,” Regina replied while walking ten paces ahead of Emma.

Emma wondered how she walked so fast in nice heels, and that somewhat fitting dress in the forest. “And that is…?”

“I can't say.”

“I’m the Sheriff, shouldn't I be privy to these things?” 

Regina remained quiet as they made their way to the toll bridge. 

Emma let Regina’s non-answer go, figuring she will figure it out someday.

They parked as close as they could in the forest to where the toll bridge was and had to walk the rest of the way there. 

“Regina, why is it that you got the information about this and I didn’t? I didn’t think you cared about Elsa.” 

“I don’t. It’s this Queen I am after. I am having a hard time finding a spell to reverse what was done to Marian. Maybe if I find her, and I can force her to lift it.” 

“So...we are going into a sorceress fight?”

“I guess you could say that.” 

“Well, if you need some extra juice, I can help.” 

Regina stopped, turned around to look at her. “Are you sure you have control of your magic?”

“Whenever we have helped each other, my magic is pretty stable.”

To Regina, Emma sounded pretty sure; but Regina was not very confident. Emma couldn’t vanquish the Snow Monster on her own, but Regina decided to keep that to herself and not cause an argument. Before this, they had a nice time at dinner. And she wanted to reach Ice Cream Queen as fast as possible. Regina nodded, and turned around, “Let’s hope we work together like we did in Neverland, then. Come on.”

They were near the rim of a gorge that they had to walk around to get to the toll bridge when Emma stopped Regina. “Hold on. I’m sensing something.” She started to walk to the edge. 

Regina followed her and saw Emma standing at the edge looking at an ascending staircase going over the gorge made entirely of ice. She saw Emma reach out for the railing and touch it. She closed her eyes, “Elsa made this. I can feel it.” 

Regina looked at the bridge suspiciously. “I wonder if the Ice Cream Queen lured her out here…Well, this does go in the direction of where we need to go. Let’s take it as a shortcut,” Regina said as she stepped on a stair.

“No, wait! What if it’s a trap?” 

“Don’t trust your blue-dressed friend completely, do you?” Regina snarked.

“What if that woman made her make this?” 

“It’s a risk I’m willing to take. If she has her captured, don’t you want to take the quickest route to her?” Regina proceeded to walk up the stairs with confidence, as Emma hesitated with each step. 

Half way up, a strong gust of wind blew across them. The staircase made a cracking sound. The mirror in Regina’s pocket began to vibrate. She really didn’t want to take it out. But the harder the wind blew, the stronger it vibrated. Regina reached into her pocket and in a raised voice said, “Is this natural, or from your friend?” 

Emma stood still in place. She was petrified with fear. She struggled to answer Regina, “No! This feels like magic, but it’s not coming from Elsa. Think you could move faster? I wanna get off this thing!” She noticed that Regina had opened her pocket mirror, the one she used to communicate with Henry in Neverland. She wondered why she would do that right at this moment. “Regina! What are you doing!?” 

Upon opening the mirror, Regina heard Sidney laughing. Emma heard him too. There was a gust of wind that pushed the staircase hard, and it cracked even louder. Instinctively, the two of them ducked so they wouldn’t be blown off. Emma grabbed Regina’s arm, “Is that Sidney? I thought you didn’t have him in there anymore? What the fuck is going on Regina?” 

“Yes, Regina, what is going on?” Sidney mocked and continued to laugh.

Regina suddenly put it together, “This is a TRAP isn’t it? You’re working for HER? TRAITOR!!!” 

Emma could feel Regina’s anger coursing through her body. “Is HE your source? What did he lead us into? Is Elsa even in danger? Or are we lead out here to die?” 

“I am working for her, but she promised me my freedom from this mirror. You don’t appreciate me. I am done. Hope you like the little present she has for you, because you deserve it!” Sidney said, and he then vanished from the mirror. 

“SIDNEY WHY YOU…” Regina started to scream, but that cracking sound began to increase. They looked behind them, and the staircase started to crumble. They both got up and ran for the top. 

Regina threw herself to the edge and turned to reach for Emma just before the staircase crumbled into a million little shards of ice and fell to the bottom of the gorge. Emma got one foot on solid ground, and with Regina’s help, she launched herself forward, clearing herself from the stairs. Subsequently, she launched herself on top of Regina. 

Regina winced, having her ribcage crushed by Emma’s weight on top of her. When she opened her eyes, all she saw was a mass of tangled blonde hair in her face with hot breath coming from Emma panting. She felt Emma starting to scramble to get off.

“Oh my gosh, Regina I am so sorry! I didn’t mean to. Are you ok?” Emma started to say quickly as she climbed off Regina. She looked at the state of Regina on the ground, and blushed a little as she looked at her on the floor, knees bent, legs open, and her dress nearly hiked up to her thighs. Emma reached her hand out to Regina, although looking away. Regina looked at Emma to make sure she was stable enough to help her up. “I’m fine for you landing on my ribs.” 

“It was an accident, I swear!” Emma said, desperately trying to convince Regina that was the truth. 

“It’s ok. I’ll live. We both will live.” Regina straightened out her dress, brushing the forest floor from her. 

Emma did the same, although she wasn’t half the mess that Regina was. 

Regina was embarrassed by the whole thing. Not only did she look ridiculous on the floor in her dress, a mess, but she had the Savior on top of her. This was a moment of peril, a moment of saving, so why was she having thoughts like,  _ that wasn’t that bad having her so close to me? _

Regina walked up the slight incline. “Let keep moving, shall we?” 

As soon as Regina made it to flat ground, she stopped. “Great, we have another problem.” 

Emma immediately saw what Regina is talking about: another ice monster, this time taller, and in body armor, holding a double-sided ax, shield, and a horned helmet to boot. 

“What the hell!” Emma exclaimed, as the Ice Viking banged on its shield with its ax and let out a roar. “We can’t fight on the edge. You run that way, and I’ll run the other way, get it to turn around.” Emma bolted in one direction, and Regina in the other. 

Amazingly enough, with bruised ribs and high heels, Regina made it to the other side before Emma and let out the biggest fireball Emma had ever seen. The creature was thrown back, and slammed against a tree, nearly knocking it down. Emma was filled with admiration and excitement at what she saw. She felt so damn good to be working with Regina again to battle a foe. She took those feelings and used it to make a magical move that would impress Regina. When the creature was getting up, she sent forth a large and powerful white blast, the biggest energy ball she had summoned up since before fighting Zelena. It tore off the Ice Viking’s arm. She ran over to Regina, who was giving her a proud smirk. 

“Very impressive, Swan.” 

Emma felt her confidence boost more. But both the womens’ faces fell when they saw that the Ice Viking’s arm quickly started to regenerate, and it got up, wasting no time in charing at them. 

Regina made a stand and put her arms out. She looked at Emma, “Together!” 

Emma nodded her head, shot up her arms, and let her magic flow. Regina soon followed. Together they blasted the Ice Viking in the chest. It threw it’s shield up, but as their magic flowed together, it melted the shield. Now their blast was on its chest and it started to stagger backwards. It tried to keep itself up by using its ax as a crutch, but the two blast from Emma and Regina started to glow a golden yellow, and within moments, the creature exploded into shards. Regina covered her face, and Emma instinctively threw herself in front of Regina to shield her. 

When the shards subsided, Regina lifted her eyes over Emma’s shoulder and saw that the forest was clear. She reached around and felt Emma’s back, brushing off icicles that landed on her blazer. “You ok?” 

Emma pulled back and shook her shoulders. “Yeah, nothing got me. Guess I don’t need my leather jacket all the time after all.” She grinned at Regina. 

“That is ok to not wear that thing…” Regina hesitated, but then she blurted it out, “You look rather nice in a blazer.” 

Before Emma could enjoy the compliment, a voice said, “What a welcome visit!” 

Both Emma and Regina got defensive, and threw their hands up. They stood staring at the woman in white. “Where’s Elsa?” Emma yelled.

Regina, wasting no time, and started conjuring up a fireball, but the woman in white held up her hand and magically started choking Regina. 

“HEY! Let her GO!” Emma attempted to throw her a blast, but the woman’s other hand went up and started to choke her too. 

From somewhere between both Emma and Regina, a white blast, about as large as what they produced together, shot out, striking the woman in white, knocking her to the ground, and releasing both the woman from choking. 

“You leave them alone!” Elsa yelled as she stepped forth. “You want a fight, fight me!” 

The Ice Cream Queen was back on her feet in no-time. “Elsa! Well done! You’re losing your fear. I have hope for you after all,” she said with enormous pride in her voice.

“Let’s finish her now!” Regina said. 

The woman in white looked at her and smiled. “No need.” She opened the palm of her hand. “I already got what I came for.” 

Everyone looked down at her palm. Elsa asked, “What is that?” 

Ice Cream Queen lifted it up to her face, smiling, “Regina’s mirror.” And she disappeared. 

Regina threw a tantrum and let out a scream. “Damn it! That’s MINE! Fuck you Sidney! I hope she freezes your balls!” 

Emma ignored Regina and went to give Elsa a hug, “Are you ok? Did she have you captured? Did she hurt you?”

“I’m fine. She didn’t hurt me, although she had me chained up. I broke free. I’ll explain later. Is she going to be ok? What was so important about that mirror? Now Ice Queen has it, should we be concerned?” 

Emma turned to Regina with a little irritation in her voice. “Yes, Regina, should we be concerned? Because there is so much about this mirror, and Sidney, that you are not telling me about, and I want to know why?” 

Regina was livid at losing her mirror, and being unable to best that woman in a magical fight, and Sidney betraying her. Watching Emma be chummy with Elsa was not helping. “What I wanted from the Ice Queen was none of your concern. It just so happened that you got to tag along. You were at the right place at the right time. This doesn’t make us a dynamic duo.” 

“Well, maybe if you HAD confided in me of what you were up to, maybe we could have saved some trouble. Have you had Sidney in that mirror all along? Because shortly before the curse, he confessed to supposedly kidnapping Kathryn and then disappeared.” 

“No, he wasn’t. You know that. I used that mirror in Neverland. Did you ever see me talking to him then? I had him locked up in the psych ward.”

Emma frowned at her. “That isn’t any better.” 

“Don’t judge me.” 

“Seriously, Regina. If he was mentally unstable, why would you bring him back out and trust him!? I want the truth! Are you reverting to your old ways?” 

Regina clenched her jaw, seething with anger at Emma’s questions. Seething at being a failure at this moment. But she started to laugh, thinking about what the truth really was as to why she enlisted Sidney’s help. “The truth? The truth is how was I supposed to tell you that I put him back in the mirror because I wanted him to help me go back in the past and kill Marian, but then changed my mind? How is THAT for TRUTH!?” 

Emma, completely frustrated, wiped her face with her hand from her forehead to her chin. “Why is it always like this with your Regina!? Three steps forward, then twenty steps back! I swear, tonight was…” Emma stopped herself. She had no words to describe how she felt about tonight before this; how well the dinner went, how they teamed up tonight, how it felt like Regina gave her magic back. “...I’m a fucking idiot.” 

Elsa could see a connection between them, even if they were fighting—that it was a close connection similar to the sisterly bond she had. It pained her to watch them fight. She stepped forward, “Stop it, the two of you. We cannot afford to have the two of you fight. You need each other I can tell. Regina, Emma cares for you a great deal, you need to forgive her…”

Regina charged into Elsa’s space, “I don’t need to be judged by you or anyone!” She turned to Emma, “Just stop trying to win me over, get me to forgive you, or whatever it is that you think you want from me. I want none of it. You got your precious friend back, and I, like always, loose.” And Regina poofed herself away. 

When Elsa looked at Emma, she looked drained and tired, and just stood staring at the spot where Regina just was. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. It's Complicated

“My Queen,” Sidney told his liberator as he bowed before her. “What is your first wish?” 

“My name is Ingrid. I am not your queen. You are free to go.” Ingrid said impassively as she opened Regina’s mirror, looking at it, caressing its sides.

“Pardon? I don’t understand. You freed me. Now I pledge my allegiance to you.”

“It wasn’t you I wanted, Sidney, it was the mirror.”

“The mirror,” Sidney looked around her white, icy room. He saw many mirrors. “That is something you collect?” 

“I have been for years now. But this mirror, it’s very special. It’s owner filled it with so much dark magic.”

“And what do you plan to do with this special mirror?”

“That is between me and my reflection, my dear Sidney. As I said, you are free to go,” she dismissed him with a wave. He hesitated, but he gave a quick bow, and disappeared into the night. 

Ingrid walked over to her largest mirror; it was full of cracks. She looked at her reflection in Regina’s pocket mirror and it broke. She dug out the center piece with her fingers, causing little trickles of blood to coat it's edges from the sharp edges slicing into her skin. She held up the piece to the large mirror on the wall. “Ah, perfect. The last piece.” She locked in the missing piece on the wall mirror and the mirror glowed brilliantly healing itself up. Ingrid gave a side smile, her eyes sparkling. 

On the dresser below the mirror sat a wooden box. She opened it and gazed at its contents—three yellow hair ribbons tied into bows. 

“Soon, my plan will come to be and I will have the family I have always deserved; two magical sisters, and I will be loved.” 

______

Elsa took Emma by the arm to snap her out of staring at the spot where Regina once stood. 

“Emma, I think it’s time we leave.” 

Emma came to and looked at Elsa. She nodded. Elsa held onto her arm, wrapping it tighter as they walked. 

“My car is over there somewhere. It’s a walk; unless you have the ability to transport us out?” Emma asked.

“No, that is something I have never been able to do, sorry. I don’t mind the walk. Gives us time to catch up.”

Emma quietly chuckled. “Yeah, like old friends.” 

Elsa gave her arm a little squeeze, “How long have you and Regina known each other?” 

Emma sighed, “Since I’ve come to this town, almost four years.” 

“And what has it been like?”

Emma couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “Oh! It’s been a rollercoaster.”

“Friends, enemies, frenemies?”

“Complicated. Do you know we share Henry?” 

“Yes, but I don’t know why. Were you two together at one point?”

“Oh, no, it’s nothing like that,” Emma’s heart raced at the thought of a real relationship with Regina. “Everyone but Henry was born in the Enchanted Forest. I had Henry when I was 18, and I gave him up for adoption. I had no idea Regina raised him. When he was 10, he came looking for me and brought me back. Fate. That is the short version. Complicated like I said.” 

“Wow. Very fated. Did Regina know he was your son? I would imagine that Regina was fearful you would take her son away?”

“It was a shock to her and she wasn't thrilled to see me for that reason. That and I was destined to break her curse,” Emma said, dejectedly.

“You don’t sound proud of that.”

“Four years later and I am still not used to everyone looking at me as the Savior. It’s not what I wanted. I mean, I wanted to be loved, I wanted a family. I grew up as an orphan in this world. And now I have found my family, but this Savior business gets in the way.”

“It gets in the way of you and Regina.” 

“Yes! I mean, no, I mean…” Emma stumbled over her words. “What are you getting at with Regina? Why all these questions?”

Elsa shrugged. “I’m just trying to understand you two better. The two of you interest me because I’ve never encountered others like me before, and you two are...”

“Three, if you count Rumple...oh, and Blue the Fairy and all the nuns, I mean fairies, and the occasional villain who passes through,” Emma looked at Elsa and her eyes grew wide with wonder. Emma laughed, “Yep. Storybrooke is a crazy town.” 

“Remarkable. I have only seen the two of you in action, and I see and feel something so powerful between the two of you. And when I say action, I mean anywhere from fighting creatures, to your bickering. The tension and energy off the two of you is...”

Emma was holding her breath the whole time Elsa spoke. It was the first time that anyone ever pointed out the way she and Regina were with each other, good and bad. She waited for Elsa to continue, but she remained silent. Emma finally spoke up. “Well, what?” 

Elsa knew her questions were presumptuous, and either Emma was playing dumb or really had no clue.She asked Emma another question reather than complete her thought. “When we get back to town, will you find Regina?”

“I don't know. The fact that she didn’t confide in me is upsetting. It makes me not know where she is coming from...like should I be worried she's gonna throw all of her hard work to be a better person away? I have been in her face a lot this week. I think she doesn't want anything to do with me. I'm gonna back off.”

“You are very concerned for her still and you've done nothing but be in her face all week! You're going to give up on her now?”

“I screwed her over. I don’t know what I was thinking trying to make amends. You don’t come back from shit like that,” Emma said sadly. “Or at least that is what I thought…”

“What do you mean?”

“Just before we found out about Ice Queen taking you, Regina and I were having a great time at dinner,” Emma said with a little smile.

“So, she gave in and forgave you?” Elsa said in a delighted voice.

Emma nodded her head, “Something like that. Dinner went way better than I thought. Our joint magic. Then I freaked out on her about Sidney.” 

Elsa squeezed her arm. “You know, I bet Regina had a great time with you too. It’s clear you can get past anything, and work together great. Your screw up doesn’t compare to this squabble about Sidney, does it?”

Emma thought about it. “No. That was just me and my issues.” 

“And that is ok. You own up to your mistakes. And you have a great capacity for not giving up. I believe that if someone is important to you, you don’t give up on them, even if hurtful things are said, or they send a giant Snow Monster to chase you away.” Elsa looked at Emma; she turned to her too, and they smiled and chuckled. “You will find a way back to Regina, and Regina won’t shut you out, I promise.”

“Thank you for your concern, Elsa.” Emma wanted to change the subject. “But you were the one that was captured! I want to know how you are. How did that happen, how did you break free? What more did she tell you?” 

Elsa took a deep breath. “About that...I feel foolish, really. Your son suggested I go ask Belle for help at the library, so I went looking for, I dunno what...information about others with my powers? Information on Arendelle? I picked Belle’s brain, but turned up nothing. Good news is, I think I just made a friend in her! As I was heading back to your parent’s place, that's when it happened—I heard Anna calling for me, so I followed the voice. When I got to the woods, I actually saw Anna, and she asked me to save her. I couldn’t help it, I had to see if it was really her so i kept following her.” Elsa frowned, tears welling in her eyes.

Emma said to her, “It’s ok. I take it it wasn't really her?” 

Elsa sighed. “No. When I finally reached her, and I was able to hug her, she turned to an ice statue. It was a trap. That was really low and cruel of her.”

Emma didn’t push Elsa to continue the story. She let her have a moment. Soon Elsa continued. “Her name is Ingrid, by the way. She told me again that my sister put me in the urn. But the worst part was she chained me to the ground with enchanted chains.”

Emma pursed her lips together and shook her head, “She is more dangerous than we thought.” 

“She’s deranged! She acts like she wants the best for me, but then lures me with a fake apparition of Anna, won’t tell me where she is, speaks lies, and then chains me up!”

“It's very deranged. How did you break free?”

“She enchanted the chains to bind me through my fear. Let go of my fear, and I would be set free.”

“And you did it!” 

Elsa frowned. “It was a sadistic lesson. But she did say something strange. Two things actually. She said she needed my fear, even though she wanted me to let it go. And then she left me there because she needed another thing. I presume it was that mirror of Regina’s.”

“Needed things? This sounds familiar. Our last villain, Zelena, was doing something similar, collecting items for a spell.”

“What is so special about that mirror?” 

“To Ingrid, not sure. To Regina, it is one of her tools of magic. Currently, it holds a genie named Sidney. I wonder what Ingrid wants with him? He betrayed Regina tonight; I guess this means he is going to start working for Ingrid now?” 

“Is this bad?”

“Not sure. Sidney has all seeing power, that is about it, since he can bounce from any mirror. Wonder what Ingrid needs to see.”

“Oh, I wish I knew about him before. Maybe Regina could have had him search for my sister.”

Emma nodded with a little sadness. “Don’t worry, we will find her, because we don’t give up, right?” 

Elsa gave Emma a smile. “You’re right.”

“And here is your chariot your majesty,” Emma broke herself free from Elsa and gave her a little bow. 

“A very loyal and bright steed it is,” Elsa giggled. 

Emma opened the door for her. “Come on, let’s go home.” 

\------

Emma dropped Elsa off at her parents, but didn’t feel much like going home. She didn’t want to hear her parents asking how the date went, if they happened to be awake. Instead, she went to her office at the station. At least she had a bottle of whiskey there.

She poured herself a double as soon as she sat down. She stared into the brown liquid in her glass for a moment before throwing it back. While she felt its warmth flow down her throat, she inhaled deeply and poured another. She reflected on everything that happened: she was glad Elsa was ok, but Ingrid was gunning for her, but why? Ingrid seemed to be collecting items for a spell, but what was it? There was so little she knew about magic and it was frustrating. She had nobody to turn to on matters like this except for Regina. She could always trust she’d have the answers. But now, she didn’t know if she had Regina to turn to. So much back and forth between the two of them. If it wasn’t Regina coming after her for something, it was Emma who was trying to play her game and beat her. Her blow up tonight at Regina for lying to her, then accusing her of reverting to her old ways was a perfect example. She upset Regina, Regina upset her. 

Emma lifted her glass to throw back her second drink. Her shirt lifted, revealing her wrist tattoo, meant to remind her of her first friend, Lily; and it dawned on her—there’s something about Regina that reminded her of Lily. She regretted never making amends with Lily. She lost her, and she didn’t want to lose Regina. She shook her head and grunted at the connection. She wasn’t ready to unpack that though. She proceeded to finish her next drink, but when the glass touched her lips, it was hot. She looked at the drink, and through the glass, she noticed that her hand had a pale white glow that was fading. She didn’t conjure any magic, nor even feel its power surging from her. She wondered what that was about. The glass wasn’t burning hot, so she finished her drink and poured yet another.

There was a box of personal items that Emma kept at the office rather than at her parents for safe keeping. This box contained the few items she managed to keep over the years of bouncing from foster home to foster home. She took it out, looking specifically for a video camera. She charged it every now and then to make sure the battery never died, although she had not watched the video for well over a decade. She was too much of a coward to watch what was on it, and feel things; it was a video of her and Lily. But Emma thought that it was time. 

She turned it on and from the small screen of the Hi-8mm camcorder, she watched two silly young girls having a great time. Emma teared up at the memory and what she felt; it was like magic that she found a friend, found someone like her, found someone that felt like family. It was all she ever wanted. Lily was so pretty and she wondered how she even wanted to be around an ugly duckling like herself. But Lily made her feel like she was the world. She and Lily bonded quickly, lasting less than a week, but she impacted her life ever since. 

Emma let herself sink into her feelings as she watched for a long while, and stroking the flower tatoo on her wrist, when suddenly the screen scrambled, and a new image appeared. It was of a boy, and she herself was screaming in the background at him to give the camcorder back. Then an adult voice came in, telling the boy to give Emma back her camera. When the woman came into view, it was Ingrid. 

This time, Emma made the liquid in her glass bubble. 

\------

The next morning, David and Henry came into the office and found Emma asleep at her desk. David brought coffee and donuts. 

The aroma woke Emma up. She stretched and yawned. “Morning! Thanks for the room service.” She saw Henry eyeball the bottle of booze next to her. She sheepishly put it in her draw. “I didn’t drink the whole thing, I swear. Not what it looks like, kid.” 

Henry made a face at her. “Then why didn’t you come home last night? What happened?” 

“I dunno. A lot. I have some mind blowing news though.” 

Henry’s face perked up, “Really? What?” 

She walked out of the office and over to David. Henry followed after her. 

“Hey, grampa, Emma has some news!” 

He handed her a bear claw and a cup of coffee. He looked at her curiously. “You slept here last night. Are you ok? Elsa said you were fine, but…”

“Thanks, dad. Yes. Just wasn’t tired. So much happened last night…”

“Like what?” David asked.

“Yeah! How was the date with mom?” Henry asked enthusiastically.

Emma furrowed her eyebrows and gave him a side glance. “My news has nothing to do with that. Come to my office and see.” 

They followed her into her office. She placed her coffee and bear claw down, licking the sugar from her fingers before touching the camcorder. Emma spent a lot of time last night looking at the video over and over again that she was able to cue it up fast for them. 

They watched carefully, and when David saw Ingrid’s face, he exclaimed, “IT’S HER! That’s that queen!” 

Emma nodded and said, “Yup.”

“Who’s that?” Henry asked. 

“Ingrid. Our most recent Storybrooke villain,” Emma replied.

“Is that her name? What is that video?” David asked.

Emma shook her head. “This is the crazy part. This is my video. The person screaming to give it back is teenage me. Ingrid is in my past, but I don’t remember a thing!” 

David looked taken-back. “Seriously? Like the photo, you don’t remember?” 

“No. And it's starting to freak me out.” 

“She’s erased your memory then?” Henry asked.

“It appears so. She blamed it on rock trolls to Elsa, but I don’t think I was ever near a rock troll, at least to my recollection, I don’t, but who knows?! I don’t know anything anymore.” 

“Wow, I don’t know what to tell you,” David said. “You know, after I saw that photo, I went to her shop and house, and turned it over. I found nothing.” 

“Did you check her ice cream truck?” Henry asked.

Emma and David look at each other, then at Henry. 

“She has a truck?” Emma asked.

“Yeah. I’m a kid, I pay attention to these things.” Henry grinned, proud to have given them a lead.

David raised his eyebrows. “It’s worth a shot! But I didn’t see a truck around the building. I guess we will have to put out an APB on that truck!” 

“It’s worth a look,” Emma said. 

David grabbed a donut and coffee and started to head out of the office. “I’m gonna go drive around and see what I find. Oh and don’t forget you promised to baby-sit tonight!” 

Emma waved at David, “Right! Will do. Thanks. I think I’ll head home, clean up and properly sleep for a bit.” 

“I’ll walk you out, Ma, I’ve got somewhere to go too.” Henry said to Emma.

“Like your new job?” Emma asked.

“How did you know?!” Henry exclaimed.

She ruffled Henry’s hair, “Mom told me.” 

“Did she tell you anything else?” Henry asked in an obvious, fishing way.

“You mean, Operation Mongoose?”

“Yes! Mom shared that with you? I guess your date went well,” Henry beamed at her. 

Emma wasn’t sure how to answer her son. She hated to burst his bubble. But like her son, her tone was obviously not positive. “Dinner was great…”

Henry frowned, “What happened?” 

“Complicated.” 

“As usual.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Oh, nevermind. Don’t worry, we will patch things up somehow.” 

“And don’t you worry, Ma, you will. This is how you two are with each other.” 

Emma’s mouth dropped a little. She wanted Henry to explain what he meant, but she decided that she didn’t want to encourage him. Still, she found it kinda fucked up that Henry was used to having parents that constantly argue. That is not that kind of family she wanted to give Henry. 

They were near Gold’s shop. “Well, kid, here is your stop. I am not thrilled you are working here. WE are not thrilled, but we support you wanting to help, Just promise me to be careful. Don’t touch anything, don’t give Gold any reason to suspect you. There are items in there that are dangerous. You never know what you will unleash. OK?” She patted his cheek. “See you later.” 

Henry nodded and smiled at her, “Ok, Ma.” 

\-----------

After work, Henry went home to the mansion to check in on his mom. 

“Mom! You home?” 

Henry started to walk to the study when he heard his mom call out his name. “Henry, I’m in the dining room.” 

Henry walked in and turned on the light. “Why are you in the dark?” His mom was sitting alone with a glass of wine. 

She gave him a weak smile. “I’ve been here for a while.” She started to get up. “Do you want dinner? I’ll make you something, dear.” 

Henry nodded and he followed her to the kitchen. 

“How was your time at Gold’s?”

“Alright. I was hoping he was gonna teach me about the different objects, but he has me sweeping and cleaning,” Henry grumbled. 

Regina opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water, handing it to Henry, and then chicken and salad. Henry opened the bottle of water and took a drink. He grabbed the salad bag and started to wash it while his mom prepared the chicken. 

“I’m sure your grandfather,” Regina paused. That was just weird calling Rumple that, “I'm sure he is just making sure you are safe and not careless. Be smart. Is Belle in the shop?” 

“Yes! We got to talking. I asked her if she ever saw another storybook like mine. She said no, but there is a new building in town. She called it the Lakeside Mansion. She and Gold honeymooned there recently, and it was filled with books. She didn’t see one there, but she didn’t get a chance to look through everything. She said she would be glad to take me there one day to look.”

“That is an incredible lead, Henry!”

“I know! There’s more. Not about Operation Mongoose, but maybe something helpful for Elsa? Belle recently found a family history of Arendelle book. She said she and Elsa were doing research and didn't find anything at the library, but this morning that book just showed up! Kinda like my book. Isn’t that crazy?” 

Regina raised her eyebrows as she continued to saute chicken in the pan. What luck for Elsa. She tried not to sound bitter as she answered Henry, “Good for her.” 

Henry didn’t miss his mom’s tone, so he changed the subject. “Before work, I saw Emma. She said she had a nice time at dinner. Did you?” 

Regina took a sip of her wine. “It was good.” 

Henry looked at her. “And…” 

“And...it got complicated.” 

“Oh my gosh! That is what she said. Ew, do I really wanna know what happened?” 

“Henry! What are you thinking?”

Henry raised his eyebrows and shook the lettuce. 

“Nothing like that happened. We went from dinner, straight to looking for the Ice Queen, there would have been no time…” Regina stopped herself and looked surprised at what she said. She was unclear if Henry caught that. “We got into an argument after her friend rescued us.” 

“About what?” Henry asked most curiously.

“I don’t know. Even if I could explain, it’s adult stuff,” Regina told him dismissively. 

Henry figured if his mom didn’t want to give anymore information, then it must have been about something bad. He wasn’t sure if they would start talking anytime soon, so he offered up information he thought she should know. “Did you know that mom knew the Ice Queen before?” 

“She mentioned something about a photo.”

“Not just that. She has a video of her and Ingrid.” 

“Ingrid?”

“Yeah, that’s the Ice Queen’s name.” 

“A video? You sure?”

“Yeah, I saw it.” 

“What did she say about it?”

“She didn’t remember it, like the photo.” 

Regina remained thoughtful as she set the chicken on a cutting board to rest.

“Mom, you and Emma will talk again, right?” 

“Henry…” 

Henry started to plate the salad. He knew his mom’s tone wanted him to drop it. “What about Marian?” 

“I don’t know. Still can’t find anything. I was hoping I could find this Ingrid and make her fix her, but she outsmarted me last night,” Regina growled. 

“Don’t worry, mom. Maybe I can ask Belle if she knows anything.” 

“You can. But I think at this point, I will have to deliver Robin the bad news.” 

“You’re giving up?” Henry said with surprise.

Regina gave him a “don’t judge me face.” “I can’t Henry. This is hard in so many ways. Please try and understand.” 

  
Henry dropped it and nodded. He put chicken in their bowls and started to walk to the table. “Let’s eat. Did you ever finish reading that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. comic?”


	8. A Match for Thee

_“Don’t go, I didn’t mean to upset you, but it’s true, I am still in love with you, Regina. It’s not something I should say, especially after asking you to help save my wife.”_

_“If you truly want to save Marian, Robin, then I suggest you figure out a way to fall in love with your wife again. I cannot be a part of this any longer.”_

Regina had poofed herself away from Robin because she knew he would follow her. But she transported herself about a mile away because a walk through the woods would help her process. She was still not ok with any of this; Regina was not one to give up, but she had exhausted everything in her ability to help Robin save Marian. 

She knew she would get over this and move on; she had been through more painful situations than this. It was obvious that the time for Robin to be her soulmate had passed. She didn’t even feel like this was Emma’s fault anymore. It was just fate. And the burden that Robin laid at her feet to save Marian was too much to handle. She wasn’t that much of a hero; that was her hero-threshold. 

As she walked, she couldn't shake her feelings of deep failure. Her abilities as a sorcerous had been tested, and she came up short. Although, she felt very confident the other night when she defeated the Ice Viking with Emma, and all her cares as of late faded away for a few hours at dinner with her. Of course, things between them were shitty again. She waited all day yesterday for Emma to apologize to her, or ask to talk, but she heard nothing from her. Did this mean Emma had given up on her? Maybe this time she had some explaining to do; the sudden appearance of Sidney could be seen as a sign that she was regressing. 

How she hated to answer to anyone. 

“Regina!” 

Regina looked up and saw Emma walking with a box in her arms. 

“I didn’t peg you as a nature lover,” Emma said sarcastically.

“I didn’t peg you as the type to bury evidence, Swan.” Regina snipped back. 

“Huh? Oh this? I’m glad you’re here. What I have found, I really need someone here to pinch me. This shit is unbelievable. My car is just over there.” 

Regina followed her out of curiosity. 

Emma opened the truck and placed the file box inside. She opened it, selected a pocket folder and handed Regina the contents.

Regina flipped through an assortment of drawings and school report cards. “What is all of this?” There was a birthday card and Emma told her to open it and read it. 

Regina read, “‘To Ingrid, Thank you for being the family I always wanted. Love, Emma.’ What the hell?!” 

“I know. I’m freaked out. I know I don’t look it, but I am so beyond creeped out that I just don’t know how to handle this box. There is way more like that in here, and clippings, letters and other paperwork that shows she had been tracking me ever since I came into this world!” 

Regina looked at Emma. The look in her eyes was wild. She was chewing her bottom lip. Regina reached into the box and pulled out a newspaper clipping about a found baby girl in the forest. “What is going on here? What does this mean? You don’t remember any of it?”

Emma threw up her hands, “NONE OF IT!” She grabbed her face and paced around in a circle. “I don’t recall anything. It’s like being black out drunk, all blank. Like, there's not even false memories. It never occurred to me that all I can't account for what happened to me between Lily and then meeting Neal. Like that is nearly three years of my life gone, just gone!” 

“I’ve had my memories gone before, I know it doesn’t feel good. But as to what this box means...even if she was your stalker, it looks like a good memory box.”

“What do you mean?”

“I have boxes like this full of Henry’s school stuff. I keep it because he’s my son and I love him. I want those memories. And from this card, it sounds like the two of you were close like that.” 

“You know, you’re right. It’s not just a creeper box. I’ve been keeping things of Henry’s like this, too,” Emma took a drawing from Regina’s hand. “I, it’s just that...I don’t know how to feel about this. If things were good, why this ruse? Why did she take those memories from me?” Emma sat on the inside of her trunk, staring at a drawing, sounding dejected.

Never before did Regina feel like such an ass for what she had done to Emma. 

Regina looked into the box again, and at the bottom, she found a scroll. When she unrolled it, it was filled with runes, but different from what she could read. “Emma, did you see this before?” 

Emma took a look at it. “No. That was in the box too? What does it say?”

“I don’t know. It’s a language I don’t know. Wait, where did you find all this stuff anyway?” Regina asked.

“Ingrid’s ice cream truck. My dad went searching for clues in her shop and house, but turned up nothing. Henry said she had a truck.”

“In the woods? That is creepy.”

“David and I were looking for it since yesterday. I just found it about two hours ago.”

“You came out here ALONE?” Regina raised her voice at her.

Emma sighed, “Yeah, well…”

“Reckless.” 

“Ok, you’re right. That was highly stupid of me not to call backup of some kind. But you were here, somewhere, right?” Emma flashed a clever smile that quickly disappeared at a second thought.. “Wait. Why are you walking around alone?”

Regina, not expecting her admonishment to be turned against her, crossed her arms, “I went to see Robin, and I needed time to think after.” 

“Still, dangerous.” 

“I guess.”

“You okay after Robin?” 

Regina casted her eyes down. “I’ll be fine. I needed to tell him that I don’t know what to do for Marian, and he needs to love her again to break the curse.” 

“Ouch. I’m sorry.” 

“Like I said, I will be fine. Fate is against me; I’m used to losing,” Regina replied quickly. 

Emma didn’t respond. She stood up, took back the items from Regina’s hand and threw them in the trunk, and shut it. “Let’s go back into town and see if Belle or Elsa recognize the language on the scroll.” 

Emma opened the passenger door for Regina. Regina scoffed, “I’m not getting in that death trap.” 

“I’m not leaving you alone in the forest. It got Elsa and I home safe the other night, it's not what you think.”

_Elsa was in Emma’s car?!_ That thought bothered Regina. She made a face, but she got into the car. Emma shut the door for her.

As Emma walked to the driver side, she had a little smile on her face. 

“So, do you want me to take you home, or do you have somewhere else you have to be?” Emma asked with hesitation in her voice.

“Home was where I was going to go eventually.”

“Eventually?” 

“After I wandered the forest and cleared my head.”

“I’m sorry, I interrupted.” 

“No, it’s fine. Better this way, I suppose,” Regina looked down at her hands as she folded them. “Look. No more sorries, ok? Can we stop feeling the need to apologize to each other? But let me say I am sorry for the other night and…” 

Emma interrupted her, “No, I am sorry for the other night. I shouldn’t have accused you. It wasn’t right of me to suggest that you are not trustworthy. I meant it when I said I don’t see you as the Evil Queen. Yes, I was surprised to hear about Sidney, but I could have approached you in a better way. I’ve been down that road before, and I don’t want to do that ever again. I'm sorry..” 

“Didn’t I just say no more sorries?” Regina said sternly. Emma looked at her with puppy dog eyes that were saying”sorry.” Regina couldn't help it and gave a small laugh. “Let's try and make this the last ‘sorry.’ You’re right, we have been down this road before and it needs to stop.” 

“It’s true, you and I have been down this road, but I’m talking about someone else. It's why it really bothers me when I am lied to. It’s probably why I became so good at spotting liars.”

Regain looked at Emma quizzically. “I’m listening.” 

Emma let out a big sigh. “I’ve never told anyone about my first friend, Lily. We were only friends for less than a week, but she has made an impact on my life. I had just run away for the first time from a group home. I was shoplifting and almost got caught when this girl saved my butt. Lily was on the run too, so we stuck together. We squatted in a vacation house. We got along great, and I had never felt so connected to another person before; it was like the family I always wanted. But then, we got busted by her dad—it was a foster dad, but he came looking for her. She claimed he really didn’t love her, not the way that she loved me, we were family. I was livid she lied to me. And she had exactly what I wanted, but she didn’t want it. She was a liar, unappreciative, and out of her mind, I thought. Social Services came for me, but before we were separated, she gave me her number, told me she was so sorry for lying to me, and to call her. I ditched the number and never forgave her. It was a mistake, and I regret it. And I don’t want to make that mistake with you. I found my parents, my son, and you. And out of all of them, you are the only one that can understand me. They don’t know what it’s like to be rejected and misunderstood, not the way we do. When I tell you sorry, I mean it. I don’t want you to assuage my guilt, I just wanna stay friends.” 

Regina stayed quiet for a long while, looking out the window. There was something in her story about Lily that she could relate to. “Since you’ve come to Storybooke, you’ve seen me as a friend?” 

Emma chuckled, “Crazy, right?” 

Hearing this, Regina knew there was a change between them. And she realized she didn’t hate it. She shifted in her seat to look at Emma driving. “Very crazy. Look, I have not always wanted to kill you since you’ve come into town. Just when Henry picked you over me for that little bit,” Regina laughed. “But I think we are past a lot of that, and I can see having a relationship with you. Not sure if I will commit to calling it “friendship,” but you’ve become less irritating the more we talk.” 

Emma grinned from ear to ear, “Good! Because I am not gonna stop trying with you.” 

“You’re an idiot,” Regina told her, with a smile on her face. 

\----------

Regina decided it was best if Emma dropped her off at the mansion. She still had a lot of processing to do. Emma headed over to the station and texted Elsa to meet her there. 

She showed Elsa all the contents of the box first before showing her the scroll with the runes. 

“And there was this,” Emma handed Elsa the scroll. “Does this look familiar? I know it's runes, but I never finished the Lord of the Rings, so I’m not very fluent in Elvish.”

Elsa gave her a queer look. 

“Was a joke, sorry.” 

Elsa nodded her head, and unraveled the scroll, “Lucky for you, this isn’t Elvish, this is the Arendelle language.”

“What does it say?” 

_In a land where magic flickers dim,_

_An enchanted Savior will appear_

_Breaking an evil curse in lion's mane;_

_She is true love incarnate, the strongest_

_magic, and a storybook match to she_

_who seeks to trade her normal sisters for_

_magical sisters-three—_

_she shall call herself Emma Swan, and_

_she is_ _the match for thee._

“Wow, that is specific,” Emma said. 

“Her ‘normal sisters?’ My mother doesn’t have sisters. What does this mean?” Elsa said frantically. “Ingrid is deeply woven into our pasts. So why don’t we have memories? Why did she take them? This is all so infuriating!” Elsa exclaimed.

When Emma looked at Elsa, she saw something peculiar. “Um, Elsa, what is going on around your face?” 

Elsa looked around her, “Oh!” She swiped at the air with her hand and they disappeared.

“When I get extra frustrated, sometimes I’ll produce snowflakes.” 

“Does that happen unconsciously?” Emma asked.

“Yes. I don’t know it's happening.” 

“You know, the other night when I stayed at the station, I had that happen to me. I made the glass in my hand boil.” 

“Really? Well, magic is driven by emotion, we have to be careful how much we feel. Fear is a big trigger for me, and frustration. Do you remember what you were feeling at the time?” 

Emma thought. “Sadness. Anger. I think that was about it.” 

“Then pay attention to those times. You have to be on high alert.”

“I never had to before, why now?”

“You tell me, what changed?” 

“I had my powers taken away. But they've started to come back slowly.” 

“So it's like starting all over again I suppose.”

“I should have asked Regina when I saw her today.”

Elsa perked up, “So you made up?”

Emma couldn’t help but smile. “Yes. Things are a little more secure between us now.” 

Elsa smiled with her too. “Good. You two need each other.” 

Henry came into the station excited, “Good! I’m glad both of you are here.” He walked over to the desk carrying a big book and put it down. 

“What is this?” Emma asked.

“It’s from Arendelle! Henry, where did you get this?” Elsa asked as she started opening the book.

“A heraldry book. Belle found it in the shop. She said you were researching in the library, but she started looking around that new Lakeside Mansion and found this. She asked me to bring it to you.” 

“I had one growing up to look at…” Elsa flipped through the pages. “But, here, just before Anna and I, it shows my mom and two sisters!!! My mom was the youngest and here is Ingrid, the oldest. And a Helga.” Elsa stared at the pages dumbfounded. “This is not what the book I grew up with looked like. What is going on!?” Elsa’s snowflakes appeared again. 

Henry tapped Emma's arm, “Ma, do you see that?” 

“Yes, her snowflakes. She knows.”

Henry nodded as he continued to stare. Emma distracted him by showing him that card addressed to Ingrid. 

“Woh, Ma. You gave this to her?”

“Yep. I found the icecream truck, and this box inside.” 

Henry went through some contents. “You knew each other, and you don't remember? This gets weirder every day…”

Both Elsa and Emma tell him, “YES!” 

“Henry, is Belle still at the shop?”

“I think so.”

“Emma, I'm gonna go talk to her for a bit, if you don't mind, maybe even bring up what you found today. Maybe there is a way to get our memories back?”

Emma looked at the time, “I have to go too. My mom wanted me to pick up Neal from her for a couple of hours. Go ahead and share my news, and good luck!”

When Elsa left, Emma turned to Henry. “So, wanna help me watch your uncle for a few?”

Henry declined, instead heading for a friends house. Emma walked around the block to where Snow took Neal to play with other infants. 

When she walked inside, there was a circle of women with their infants singing a “Goodbye” song. When they were done, Emma walked over to Snow. 

“Hi, Emma! You're on time, great!” Snow said as she handed Neal to her. Snow got up from the ground and rummaged through the baby’s bag for a bottle. She motioned to Emma to take the bottle too. Emma was not as skilled at holding both Neal and a bottle, but Snow’s attention was taken away when the group leader called out, “Have a wonderful evening, we will see all the first time mommies next week, same day and time!”

“First time?” Emma said without thinking. 

Snow looked at her like a deer caught in headlights, “Oh, well, it's ummm…”

Emma was surprised at herself for what she said, “No, it's ok...I guess you are, sort of, I mean, you didn't raise me.” 

Snow gave her an apologetic look, “Emma, it's not like that, I don't think of myself as a new mom, it's just this was the only spot open…”

“No worries, I get it. You never got to raise a baby, just put one through a wardrobe, haha.”

“EMMA!” 

“It was a joke! I’m excited for you...mommy and me songs, first steps, all new experiences you get to have that you missed with me.” The more Emma listed, the more somber she became. 

When she looked at Snow, she was fixated on the milk bottle in her hand. 

“What?” Emma asked.

“Emma! Why is the milk boiling?!”

Emma looked at the bottle in her hand and it was boiling just like the whiskey glass the other night. 

“Oh shit! Shit!” She shoved Neal back into Snow’s arms. “Quick! Take him!” She put the bottle on a table nearby. “I gotta go!” 

Emma rushed out of there, but not before she caught Snow looking at her with extreme fear in her eyes.

“Emma! Wait, what is happening to you?”

  
  



	9. She is Marvelous

Emma fled from Snow and Neal and ran back to the station where her car was. She locked herself in the bathroom trying to calm herself down. 

She looked down at her hands. They were still glowing white. She rubbed them together, trying anything to make it go away, but they still throbbed; still hummed with all the anger she felt when making jokes to Snow. She normally kept comments to herself about her parents having another child so soon. She barely got to know them, and now their attention was elsewhere. It wasn’t her little brother’s fault. Nobody’s really. Just the way things go. Still, she couldn’t help how angry and sad it made her feel; like she had been replaced. 

She breathed deep as she talked through her emotions. Her phone started to blow up. She turned it off. Snow and David would NOT be any help to her right now. A grown woman, unable to turn to her parents for comfort right now. A grown woman jealous of a new baby. That was mildly funny. She could find humor in it. She burst out laughing at herself, then crying, then she got a grip. The glow in her hands disappeared. 

How could this be bothering her so much to the point of it messing with her magic? She needed a distraction. She had not eaten all day, maybe it's low blood sugar. 

She decided to go to Granny’s. Technically, she was still on duty, so, just in case Snow tried to look for her at the station, she took the patrol car down the short block, and parked in the Bed and Breakfast parking lot, which was hidden. She went into Granny’s from the back. 

She looked inside, making sure none of the patrons were Snow or David. She was in the clear. She did see Elsa at the bar. A seat was clear, so she took it. 

“Howdy, partner!” Emma said. 

She startled Elsa. “Nice sneak attack. Found yourself wanting one of these too?” Elsa lifted her cup of coco.

“Yes, one of those would be nice, with a shot of whisky in it though. I need to eat too. Low blood sugar.” 

“You ok, did you have an episode or something?” 

“You could say that,” Emma said looking at her hands and rubbing them together. 

“Did you lose control again?” 

“Yep.”

“Was it bad?”

“Sort of. It happened in front of my mom, while I was holding Neal.” 

“No! Is the baby ok?”

“Yeah, luckily I didn’t fry him. Just his bottle of milk. Still, it was frightening.” 

“You got yourself out of babysitting. Drastic measures, don’t you think?” 

“I wish it was just teenage shenanigans…”

“And what was Snow’s reaction?”

“There was a look of terror in her eyes. Only ever saw that one other time when she looked at the Evil Queen,” Emma clasped her hands together tightly and put them on the counter. “Not good.”

“I grew up with that look from a young age. By the time I was 9, I barely remember a look of love from either of my parents. I hurt my sister very bad. They took away her memories, but not mine. You have to get control. This could get serious.”

“I don’t know what is triggering it. I feel a lot of frustration and anger, some sadness, but I guess it flared up over deep seated anger. Maybe I should go see Archie, and start to take those magic lessons with Regina ASAP. I don’t even trust myself to go home.” 

“You could get a room at Granny’s for a night or so, I can try to explain things with your parents.”

“Elsa, thank you. I might take your advice. So you’ve been dealing with this since you were that young? Sounds like you have a shitty past too.”

Elsa hummed, “I wouldn’t say it exactly that way, but I probably could benefit from seeing Archie too.” 

This made them both laugh. They drained their mugs, ordered another, and Emma made Elsa eat her first cheeseburger. She enjoyed it, and they tried to enjoy their meal together, talking about anything but magic. Elsa had a lot of questions about Storbrooke and the world it was in. Emma answered the best she could; Emma knew more about her world than Storybrooke.

“Emma, now that we have eaten, you want to test yourself and see if you can be in control?” 

“Here? Now? What if it goes wrong?” 

“Trust me, I’ll hold your hand and stop you.”

Emma looked at her in amazement, “You think you have that much power and control?” 

“We could see.” Elsa took Emma’s hands in her’s, palms up. 

They sat facing each other, their knees touching. “Do you feel my energy?” Elsa asked. 

“Yes,” Emma laughed, “You’re cold.”

“Sorry, it is the essence of my magic. It isn’t uncomfortable?” 

“No, not at all,” Emma said as she swallowed. She really had never been this close to another magical person other than Regina. She didn’t know what to expect. 

“I want you to think about how you were feeling those times you were out of control. What were you focused on? You don't have to tell me aloud. Close your eyes, I’ll watch your hands.”

It took Emma a few moments to get over feeling ridiculous. But she knew Elsa meant well, and could maybe even help, so she worked her way to thinking about watching Lily, the surprise at seeing Ingrid, letting her feelings go about her parents. 

Elsa squeezed her hand. Emma opened her eyes. Elsa said, “Look.”

Emma’s palms were glowing more than they ever had before, and starting to give off sparks. She instinctively pulled away from Elsa, but she held her hands in place. “No, don't let go. There is way more power coming from you, but I’m helping you contain it. Concentrate on it. Can you distinguish which energy is whose?”

Emma took a deep breath and relaxed into their flow. “Yes, I can. It feels like we're fighting.”

Elsa laughed a bit, “I know, but in a good way.”

Emma tried to sense the good way. She supposed it would have felt like that, but this exercise started to make her feel self conscious. Magic did feel incredibly good. The only other person she linked her magic with was Regina, and that felt even better than good. To feel magic from someone else felt wrong. Plus, she noticed people watching them. 

“Elsa, can we get this to stop?”

“Of course. Pull back on your power. Since you are resisting and aware, focus on reeling it back in.”

Emma nodded, took a few deep breaths and concentrated. She was able to pull her magic back in. 

“Good. So you know where the feelings are coming from?”

“Yeah, I guess so. You helped, but if and when you are not there, what will happen?”

“Maybe you can remember this exercise. Maybe Archie will help, or maybe we need to do that again, and see what we can make out of it?” Elsa offered.

Elsa did prove to be helpful, but she was starting to have a strange guilt come over her in saying yes. “We’ll see.” 

They both turned back into the counter to finish their food. Emma was about to say something to Elsa when she saw a familiar figure outside the diner walk by. Her eyes went wide. 

“What?” Elsa said.

Emma started to get up, “I think I just saw Ingrid!”

The both of them tumbled out of the diner and rushed for the street. 

“Over there, did you see?” Emma pointed across the street to their left, in the direction of the bakery. “They just slipped around the corner, down the alley!”

“I saw. It is Ingrid. What do we do?”

“Follow her? I dunno. We might have to get into a fight, you okay with that?” 

Elsa nodded and they moved down the alley.

As they peered down the alley, they saw Ingrid’s figure walk through the parking lot and around the Sheriff’s station. 

“Is she looking for us?” Emma asked as they moved quicker. 

When they reached the front door of the station, she was gone. 

“Where did she go?” Elsa said as she turned around, looking.

“I don’t know, but I have a weird feeling that she may be looking for us, and she went inside.” Emma pulled out her gun.

Elsa nodded and they both entered the station with caution, first heading to Emma’s office and the jail cells. They saw nobody inside. They then went down the other hall to the interrogation rooms. All the doors were closed except for the last one down the hall. Emma nodded her head to have Elsa follow her down there. 

When Elsa opened the door, Emma ran inside pointing her weapon at Ingrid, who was calmly sitting at one of the desks, hands folded on the table. “Aren’t you two silly girls, playing these games. Come, sit, we have a lot to talk about.” 

Elsa peered inside after Emma, looking confused at Ingrid. Emma stood frowning at her, with her weapon still pointed at her. Ingrid laughed. “Seriously, Emma, I am not here to harm you. Sit. Look, I bring peace offerings as a sign of my good will.”

“You have the heraldry book,” Elsa looked at the desk.

“Ah, yes, I saw this original copy in the office. Hope you don’t mind if I borrowed it?” 

Emma looked down at the table, and on it she saw Regina’s mirror, Anna’s star necklace, and a wooden box. Just before Emma put her pistol down, she waved it at the box, “What’s in there?” 

“This is a gift,” Ingrid said as she opened the box, revealing three yellow ribbons. “Your memories. I told you, I am here to talk, not fight you. I don’t want to fight my sisters.” 

“I’m not your sister, lady.” Emma said, but there was something in Ingrid’s eyes that let her believe she was telling the truth about not harming them. 

“I take it by now that you discovered my box of memories of you, Emma? And Elsa, have you already seen from this book that I am your aunt?” Ingrid inquired.

Emma and Elsa both nodded. 

“Good, then please, take a seat. Let’s get reacquainted with each other.” Ingrid raised her hand to the seats across the desk.

They took their seats cautiously, Emma putting her gun in her holster, but not locking her gun. 

“Wonderful!” Exclaimed Ingrid. “I am here to help explain everything, as well as give you back these.” She slid over the mirror and the star necklace. Emma took the mirror, and Elsa took the necklace. 

“What did you do with Sidney?”

“Where is Anna?” 

“Sidney I released him. I don’t know where he is. Elsa, why do you insist on having your sister who trapped you in that urn. Normal people like her fear us. Always have, always will. This is why I am going to start new, with us three. Together, we will bond our magic as perfect sisters should, and rule over those who fear us.” 

Emma cleared her throat. “Sounds like some typical, crack-pot villain shit to me. No thanks.” 

“Emma, watch your mouth. So not becoming of a princess.” 

“This princess is also a Savior and hero. I am not going to go to the dark side just because you say you’re my father.” 

Ingrid and Elsa look at her strangely, and then at each other.

Emma sighed. She wasn’t sure why she kept making pop references nobody but Henry would get. “The point is, there is no creative plan in the world that could get me to sympathize with your cause, so find yourself some other sisters.” 

“I’m with her. I have a sister who I love and loves me very much, and I say you are lying!” Elsa told Ingrid. 

Ingrid winces, “You have no idea what love truly means for us with magic. The bond we will have will be beyond your wildest imaginations. You will love me. You have both loved me very much in the past.”

“Have we? Then why have you taken both our memories?” Emma demanded.

“That is why I am here. To return them to you.” Ingrid said as she turned her wooden box to face Emma and Elsa. “These yellow ribbons, there’s one for each of us. Put them on, and you will get your memories back.” 

Emma and Elsa wanted their memories back more than anything. But they were not willing to trust Ingrid. 

“How do we know this isn’t a trick?” Elsa asked.

“I know I have not been very good at having you trust me, but now is the time for you to understand. You will see why it is that I took your memories in the first place. It really was for your own protections. Everything I do, I do because I love you.”

Elsa looked at Emma. “As much as I don’t want to admit it, I know she is telling the truth. What if I put on the ribbon first? Then Elsa, you can see if it’s true?” 

Ingrid remarked, “A wonderful idea!” 

“No, I’ll go first,” Elsa reached for the ribbon, but Emma stopped her, pulling a ribbon out of the box first. “No, I will.” 

Emma magically put the ribbon on her wrist. She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. A wave of memories hit her. She remembered all her time with Ingrid, the joy she felt at having found someone who wanted her and loved her, “You were going to adopt me…” Tears streamed down Emma’s face. Her eyes flashed open, “You knew. You knew I had magical powers and you tried to wake them in me...but…”

“Yes, I did, but I rushed it. I was so excited for both of us to bond over this, but you didn’t understand fully yet who you are,” Ingrid replied. 

“And I fled. I ran away as far as I could from you, and that is when I met Neal.” 

“I tried looking for you again, desperately. When you arrived in Storybrooke, as the Prophecy foretold, I was alerted, so I came. But when you saw me, you freaked out, you were still so angry and fearful of me, so I thought it best to remove your memories. Our time had not yet come anyway...I didn’t know where Elsa had gone. I suspected Gold had her, but he acted just like the rest of this town; he had no memories, but I knew he did. So I just waited. The Prophecy would come to pass. And here we are.” 

“I remember that. Seeing you really freaked me out.” 

Elsa looked Emma up and down. “Are you detecting any side effects from putting that thing on?” 

“No, nothing but the return of my memories.”

Elsa flicked her hand and magiced the ribbon onto herself. She too closed her eyes and took in all that she had lost. “Anna did put me in that urn.”

Emma looked at her shocked, “Are you sure?”

Elsa furrowed her brows, “Yes, but not because she wanted to…” She shot Ingrid a harsh look. “You made her. You put a spell on her.” 

Ingrid replies, “Yes. The Spell of Shattered Sight. It did nothing but revealing her true feelings about you. She was the one lying to you, and in time, she would turn on you, just as my sisters, and your mother did. However, I didn’t think you would get put in the urn. It was the last thing I wanted. I thought you would defend yourself against her.”

Elsa laughed, “You still don’t believe me. I love my sister and would do nothing to harm her. So what happened.to.her?!” Elsa got up from her seat, raising her voice at Ingrid. 

“Anna was keeping secrets from you, secrets that revealed that your parents died looking to take away your powers! She hid that secret because deep down inside she agreed with them!”

“Stop spinning her words to fit your plan! What did you do to her afterwards, tell me!”

Emma saw snow flurries around her face. She reached out and grabbed her wrist, “Elsa, focus.” 

Elsa didn’t look at Emma. She kept her eyes glued to Ingrid, but she sat down. She was breathing deep and fast.

“Look. I understand you two being upset with me, still. But believe me what I say is true. My spell made Anna’s truth come out. You heard what she told you. I removed your memories while in the urn so that you wouldn’t be in there thinking about those painful words,” Ingrid said in a soothing voice.

Elsa started to tear up and shook her head. She remembered Anna’s words sharply. 

“Emma, remember when you lived with me. You would talk to me about how you felt–how could your parents just give you away.”

“I know my parents now.”

“Um-hum. Did you ask them why they gave you up? Find the answer that removed your anger?” 

Emma narrowed her eyes at Ingrid. “Yes, they didn’t have a choice. There was a curse coming, they wanted to give me my best chance. For kingdom and glory.” 

Ingrid scoffed, “They had a choice. Instead of being together, they sent you away, their only child, what could be more precious to hold on to? They _used_ you to break the curse. You are the Savior–nothing more. And all it takes is for one tiny accident, one magical mistake, and you become their worst nightmare. It’s how all normal people see us. Tell me, how did babysitting go today?” 

Emma became upset. She said through gritted teeth, “They love me.”

“Until they fear you, then you become a monster.” 

“That’s YOUR story, Ingrid, not mine, not Elsa’s. Stop trying to manipulate us.” 

“It doesn’t bother you that Neal gets to have the life you never had? Don’t you think they thank their lucky stars that they get to have a ‘normal’ child?”

“SHUT UP!” Emma stood up and screamed.

And the brick wall to the parking lot exploded.

Elsa covered her mouth and backed up. Ingrid stood up and marvelled. “Oh, Emma, it's beautiful!” 

Emma looked at the hole, and then her hands, and they were glowing white and shooting sparks. She balled them into fists, trying to maintain. She tried to gain control, but if she remained there and heard Ingrid say one more thing, she didn’t know what would happen.

“Emma! Are you in there? What happened?” 

It was David. Emma went into a panic. “David, stay back!” She stumbled her way through the hole. “I’m out of control. I don’t know what I will do, just stay away.”

David started to run to her, “Emma, what is wrong? Let me help you.” 

“NO!” Emma put up her arms, and a light post in the parking lot shook free, and flew in between them. David jumped back. “I’m sorry David, I can’t control it.”

Emma ran.

Elsa watched the whole thing unfold, feeling Emma’s magic grow wild. “What did you do to her!” She barked at Ingrid. 

“Nothing. That is all Emma. She is marvelous!” 


	10. Meet Me at My Vault

Emma ran. She ran not knowing where she was going. She eventually found herself at the lake park, keeping out of sight in the bushes. She was shaking, throbbing, and humming with mental anguish and magic. She let Ingrid get under her skin. This is exactly what she wanted to happen. 

Emma remembered Ingrid so clearly now. The time she spent at her group home was the best she ever experienced. Ingrid tried to get her to manifest her powers in a psychotic way; she pushed her in front of a car and told her to save herself. She freaked out and ran instead. She was hurt for so many years that when the chances to be adopted finally presented itself, it was the weirdo who wanted to adopt her, and she somehow blamed herself, because in spite of it all, she loved Ingrid. Emma always experienced unexplained phenomena throughout her life, like Harry potter. Ingrid saw her for what she was, but Emma wasn't ready to accept that part of herself, unlike Harry; this was real life. 

Her hands continued to glow and spark; the chaos swirled through her and she couldn’t form a calm thought to save her life; or anyone else's for that matter. She had to stay away, but she needed help. She needed Regina. 

She tried to text her, but the magic in her hands were interfering with the phone’s electronics. She didn’t want to go to Regina’s unannounced in case Henry was there. Regina could handle her, but she didn’t want to risk harming Henry. And she was sure Regina would agree. 

So, she sat on the ground and threw her phone on the ground. She hovered over her phone, “Hey, CeeRee.” She called out to her phone.

“Go Ahead…” her phone replied in a British Man’s accent. 

“Call Regina.”

The phone thought for a second and said, “I’m sorry, I can’t find Rigel in your contacts.” 

Emma gritted her teeth and moaned. “Ugh. No, Call Re-gy-na!”

Her phone thought some more.” “What text message would you like to send to Re-gy-na?” 

“Nononono, CALL Re-gy-na.” Stupid phone, she muttered. 

“That’s not nice.” Her phone remarked.

She waited. The phone did nothing. She sighed and tried again. “Hey CeeRee, call Re-gy-na, please.” 

“Calling Re-gy-na.”  _ Finally _ , Emma sighed and mentally cursed her phone. 

Regina picked up before the second ring. “EMMA where are you? Are you okay?”

News traveled fast. “No. I’m out of control. I don’t trust myself around anyone, but I need you.”

“Of course. But don’t come to the house. Henry is here, asleep. Meet me at my vault? Can you make it there?” 

Emma gave a sigh of relief. “Yes, I can be there in 20 mintues or sooner.” 

Emma picked up her phone and put it in her pocket. She started to run to Regina’s vault, trying to keep clear of being seen by anyone. 

\--------

Regina sat waiting for her at the vault. She poofed herself there before she even hung up with Emma. She opened the “Find Friends” app on her phone and tracked Emma running in her direction. If there was any movement away from her, she wanted to know, and go get her if need be. 

She watched “Emma” steadily come closer and closer to her. She was there in 20 minutes as she said. She heard Emma open the vault door; Regina waited for her at the bottom of the stairs. She saw Emma’s hands glowing and sparking before Emma’s face.

When Emma laid eyes on her, she fell into her arms and started to cry. Regina was not expecting this. She stood motionless with Emma hanging around her neck for a while before wrapping her arms around her. Emma sobbed into her shoulder and she pulled her in tighter, rubbing her back. Regina sensed her pain and confusion. The more she caressed Emma, the more she felt her uncontrolled magic settle down, along with Emma’s tears. Emma clung to her for quite a while. Regina resigned to hold Emma for as long as need be; whatever she could for Emma. 

When Emma felt herself settling down, she became aware of Regina’s soothing touch up and down her back and shoulders. She felt so good. Her own hands were gripping Regina’s shoulders tightly. Out of self consciousness, she ease up on her grip of Regina, and gave her shoulders a small rub as she pulled away. “I’m sorry. Did I hurt you? I didn’t even think when I saw you.” 

Regina slid her hands down Emma’s arms as she pulled back, but she didn’t want Emma to get too far from her. She held onto Emma’s hands. She looked at Emma with a gentleness she only ever gave Henry. “I’m fine. What about you?”

Emma let out a few more sobs in catching her breath, which turned into small laughs, “I feel really good. How did you do that?” Emma looked at her hands in Regina’s. They looked normal. She didn’t feel out of control anymore, but felt Regina’s energy all over her. 

Regina gave her a smile, “I didn’t do anything but hold you.”

“Didn’t you feel how out of control I was? It wasn’t clashing with you, fighting you?” 

“No. I braced myself for something like that, but it must have settled down instantly. I just felt you as I usually do; except with more pain.” Regina caressed the inside of Emma's palms with her thumbs. “Looks like you are back to normal.”

“I feel you too, as I normally do. This was so different from Elsa,” Emma said with a frown. 

Regina tilted her head and gave Emma a sneering look, “What do you mean?”

Emma stammered, “She was trying to help me gain control earlier, like this, holding my hands, and,” Emma shook her head and closed her eyes, “and it was so strange and different. She helped, but it didn't feel like how you make me feel.” She opened her eyes and peered at Regina.

Regina continued to caress her palms. She then raised her magical energy so that Emma could feel her. Emma’s eyes widened and she gasped. She visibly swallowed as she looked at the intense way Regina looked at her. Her heart started to race, and she licked her lips. “Like that?”

Emma just nodded. 

_ Elsa can't have her, _ Regina told herself. 

Regina pulled Emma towards her, grabbed the back of her head, and crashed her lips into hers. She didn’t care what Emma’s response was going to be because she needed to taste Emma’s lips, feel their softness on hers, just once. They had been in worse situations with each other; and this one Regina wouldn't be sorry for. Emma’s lips were exactly as she imagined they would, but the sensation was beyond her imagination. She felt Emma moan into her mouth, Emma was not resisting her. Emma sank into her aggressive embrace and slipped her hands around her waist, holding her firmly in place. 

Emma was in shock. Regina fisted the back of her hair and pulled her head away to look at her. The loss of Regina’s lips alarmed her. She looked rapidly at her back and forth, searching for a reason why she pulled away. “What happened? What did I do?” 

Regina took her other hand and stroked Emma’s cheek with the back of her hand. She reassured her, “Don’t, this isn’t your fault. I just want to look at you. Remember, no more sorries. I am not sorry about this at all.” 

Emma let out a little smile, blushed and casted her eyes down. “Neither am I.” 

Regina lifted her chin up by one finger. “You’re delicious.” 

She crashed her lips back into Emma. She let her hand fall from Emma’s cheek to her breast, gripping and massaging it aggressively, working her nipple to maximum erection. Emma pulled Regina in closer to her, making contact with her hips. She started to caress Regina’s perck firm bottom. Regina let out a small moan, and Emma lost it. She lifted Regina up, and pushed her against the wall. Regina wrapped her legs around her, and when Emma bit her neck, she squeezed her legs tight around Emma. Regina ran her fingers through the Savior’s locks of hair, smiling and moaning with delight. Emma’s hands splayed across her ass, supporting her, squeezing her, desperately digging into Regina’s flesh. 

Whenever their magic entertwined, it always felt like sex, but Emma refused to acknowledge the sensation as that. Now that they were being physically intimate, she couldn’t deny it. 

Regina felt a wave of magic pulse through Emma; it made her laugh deeply. Emma asked, “This is what it has always felt like, hasn’t it?” 

Regina nodded, “Yes, it has.” She bit her bottom lip, looked Emma straight in the eyes, saying, “Can I have you?” 

Emma dug her fingers between her legs. She whispered to her, “I’ll die if you don’t.” 

Regina bucked up her hips and moaned, closing her eyes and throwing her head back against the wall.

Regina poofed the both of them to her secret chamber in the Vault.

Emma held tightly to Regina as they were transported, eyes closed. Regina pushed away from her to get her attention. “You can open your eyes now?” She said softly to her, with a small laugh in her voice. 

Emma did as she was told and looked around the pristine bedroom. 

Regina said to her “You need to get used to teleporting.” 

In Emma’s peripheral view she saw the bed and wasted no time in taking Regina over, “First I want to get used to this.” 

She layed Regina down as gently as she could while climbing on top of her. Regina kept her legs wrapped around Emma. Emma kissed Regina as desperately as she could manage; this was something she didn’t know that she wanted to happen for so long. She had to maintain control; she wanted this to be pleasurable for them both, and needed to listen to Regina’s cues while her hands roamed her body. Regina’s legs were spread open to her, and Emma pushed into her center with her own, finding a steady rhythm that her lust could manage. Regina hummed and moaned, as she pulled up on Emma’s sweater to touch the flesh of her abs; then Regina reached around and started to undo her bra. 

Emma kissed her even more passionately than before, somehow finding a way to kick off her boots one by one she trailed her hands from Regina’s thigh and down her legs wrapped around her. She pulled off her heels, tossing them who knows where, and taking a moment to feel the softness of her ankles, then trailing her fingers up the soft flesh of her calves. Emma’s thrust became more powerful as Regina cupped her swinging breasts and made sure her nipples were hard as little diamonds. Regina’s pants needed to come off; she undid her belt, button, zipper, and as soon as that was complete, Regina lifted her ass so Emma could drag her pants off; and she did it in such a way as to let her fingers trail lightly down the back side of Regina’’s thighs. Emma was looking into Regina’ eyes as she did this. Regina reached down to undo Emma’s pants. 

“Mine will take more effort.” She started to get up, but Regina pulled her down, 

“Will they?” Regina snapped her fingers, and her pants disappeared. Regina slapped her ass and gave an evil giggle as she rubbed her hand over the spot and soothed her skin. 

Emma let out a gasp of shock and pleasure. She smiled at Regina and growled, lunging for her neck and biting. Regina arched her back and wrapped herself back up around Emma, bucking her hips up, which met Emma’s in a lustful grind that made them pant and moan into each other’s ear. 

Regina pulled off Emma’s sweater and used the distraction to flip Emma onto her back and mount her. Regina slowly grinded on top of Emma as she took her time undoing her blouse; she took pleasure in Emma’s eyes fixated upon her. Her hair was tousled about and messier than Emma had ever seen, but complemented Regina’s lustful gaze. It was beyond Emma how she had not passed out yet from Regina’s beauty alone. 

Regina’s blouse was unbuttoned, and she slowly slipped it off her shoulders. Emma reached up and grazed her hand over her bare shoulder, helping the blouse fall to Regina’s waist. With one hand she unclasped Regina’s delicate, lacy, burgundy bra, pulling down the straps to garner a view of what she presumed would be the most perfect breasts she had ever seen; and she was not disappointed. 

Emma sat up, holding onto Regina by her shirt around her waist. Regina’s arms were trapped in the sleeves still. Emma kissed Regina deep, slipping the tip of her tongue into Regina's mouth. Regina reciprocated, and their kissing became more heated. Emma pulled away, kissing her down her jawline, to the bottom of her ear, down her neck, and eventually burying her face between Regina’s breasts. Emma still held Regina in place by her shirt, so all Regina could do was throw her head back and let Emma have her. Emma kissed the tops of her breast slowly, then the sides, nuzzled her nose into the bottom, kissing and licking her way around to the center, then did the same to the other breast. When she took a nipple in her mouth, Regina hissed and bucked her hips forward. Emma got so bold as to give a nipple a nip with her teeth. 

Regina gave a little cry, moaned, and laughed. “You don’t have to be that tender with me, Miss Swan.”

At her words, Emma started to suck and bite firmly at her nipple already in her mouth. When she let that one go with a tug and pull, she made her way to the other breast, doing the same. Regina took this distraction to get herself free of the shirt and put her fingers into Emma's hair, holding her close to her breast. One hand snaked its way down to slip a finger into her panties to find her clit. 

It was Emma’s turn to hiss. She dropped the breast in her mouth, and then bit Regina’s shoulder. She adjusted to give her more access. Regina with one finger drenched, gently circled her excited clit. It pleased Regina to know that Emma was just as wet at her. Emma took Regina’s face into both her hands and looked at her. Regina wanted that look in Emma’s eyes to always be hers and nobody else's’. Emma slowly came forward for a kiss, savoring Regina’s lips. 

Regina’s touch became too much for Emma to handle. She pushed Regina on to her back and in one swift move, removed Regina’s drenched panties. They matched her bra, but Emma noticed that the center was soa, making the burgandy a deeper hue. When Emma looked between Regina’s legs, her hair and skin were glistening. 

Regina shamelessly let Emma look at her; she opened her legs wider and ran her fingers through her folds. “I finally get the Savior to taste my forbidden fruit,” Regina said with a seductive smile. 

Without thinking, Emma fell face forward in an act of adoration and lustful worship. Her mouth did everything it could to feel every fold; tongue lapped up every bit of excitement Regina had to offer her. Her hands dug into the flesh on her hips as she posessively gripped Regina to her face. She reached up and massaged her breasts, pulling at her nipples to hear Regina laugh and moan. When Regina asked her to be inside her, Emma pushed two fingers into her slick folds, gasping at how soft and warm she was. She sucked her clit as she pumped her fingers, drawing out Regina’s pleasure. Regina begged for another finger, and Emma obliged. 

Regina’s hips matched Emma’s pumping rhythem, and she let her fuck her until she could feel the heat rising from her core. She panted and moaned, pinching at her own nipples, running her hands through her hair, and Emma’s, working into a frenzy until she could feel she was about to go over the edge. She cried to Emma to keep going, no matter what. Emma felt her clit grow larger and harder in her mouth, and her own core ached with pleasure.

When Regina came, she locked her thighs around Emma’s head, trapping her motionless until she came down. She didn’t want Emma’s fingers to leave her; she made sure that she felt every twitch and pulse of her inside her. Emma kept her place, smiling against her vagina until Regina was done. 

When Regina looked down at Emma, she was looking at her over her mound. Regina felt a moment of bashfulness. Her Emma was so fucking cute. But she thought about what her vagina must be like after eating her out; and she was determined to find out. She released Emma from her thigh-grip and beckoned Emma to come up. When Emma did and planted a deep kiss, Regina rolled her over. Emma went willingly. 

Regina continued to kiss her as she reached down between her legs. Emma was a mess. She climbed on top of Emma, grinding their wet cores together. Emma gasped for air, throwing her head back and muttering “fuck” over and over. Regina grabbed her breasts and teased her nipples a bit before bending forwards and sucking each one thoroughly. With each suck, Emma felt her clit throb more than before. She watched Regina’s perfect lips grab her nipples, and her tongue flicker them. Regina was feasting on her body. Whatever Regina wanted, she could have. Soon, Regina was kissing her stomach, trailing down with her tongue, and with a sudden swift move, she licked her clit firmly. Emma arched her back and gripped the sheets. 

Regina pushed down on her inner thighs so Emma was on full display. She bit her lip hungrily, looked at Emma one last time before she lost herself between her legs. Regina was soft, she was rough, she was firm. She made Emma sing like no one ever had. Regina licked the insides of her thighs, causing Emma to giggle. And when she drew out a giggle, she bit down and sucked her flesh, turning the giggle into a moan. She made Emma moan louder by pushing in three fingers into her welcoming wet hole. As Regina pulled in and out, Emma became more drenched. Regina gladly licked Emma clean from bottom to top, sucking on her clit and making her wet all over again. Regina enjoyed this game. When she teased Emma enough, she found her G-spot and tongued her clit, and soon Emma was bucking her hips up and yelling out her name, “REGINA.” Emma’s body shook from her orgasm. 

Regina treated Emma’s spent body with tenderness as she kissed her way up her body to her mouth. They languished in kisses as Emma came down. 

“You know, I’m not done with you,” Regina said in this deep, husky voice Emma had never heard before. 

“I fucking hope not, because I’m not done with you either.” 


	11. Bring Back What Is Mine

In the morning, after a little sleep, Emma realized her phone was vibrating in her pants, somewhere bunched on the floor. 

“Forgive me,” she said to Regina as she untangled herself from her arms. 

Regina tried to keep her in bed with a heated kiss. She was successful for a few moments. 

Emma broke the kiss. “What if it’s Henry? Did you leave him a note?”

Regina put her hand to her forehead, “Oh no, I didn’t!” She fell back on her pillow. “Shit.” She reached for her phone as Emma reached for hers. “Let me call him. If your parent’s called, call them back.” 

“Ok.” 

They both got on their phones, calling who they said they were going to call.

Regina watched Emma walk around and pick up her clothes as she apologized to her parents and reassured them that she was fine and that she was with Regina who helped her. She threw a side smile at Regina. 

Regina tried to smile and find humor, but Henry was on her phone, chewing her out for not telling him where she went; he was panicking with his grandparents about the both of them. She hung up quickly with him, assuring him that they would see him shortly.

Emma ended her call and looked at Regina sheepishly. “Looks like we are both in big trouble,” she said as she started to squeeze into her tight jeans. 

Regina walked over to Emma and pushed her down on the bed, climbing on top of her, kissing her breasts and nuzzling her neck. 

Emma moaned and felt Regina’s body one last time, “No time, we have to get dressed and go.” 

Regina looked at her, “You don’t regret this?” 

“You told me we shouldn’t have any sorries between each other anymore. I am not sorry in the slightest.” She laughed and kissed Regina.

Regina took one last look at her, “Good.”

Emma was about to kiss her breast, but Regina snapped her fingers and they had their clothes on. 

“Oooooh, no fair!” 

“I get the ‘no fair’–we have to meet your parents’ shortly.” She got off Emma then extended her hand to her to lift her up. “Do you want to try and teleport us? Can you remember how it feels?” 

“I think,” Emma said as she embraced Regina. 

“I'll help you. But take us outside their door, if you are going to keep holding onto me,” Regina smiled at her.

Emma nodded. She felt Regina’s magic slightly guiding her, but she transported them with ease, as if she always knew how to do it. 

\-------

They made it successfully to the front door. Emma stole a kiss from Regina. “I’ll go in first.” 

Regina tried to compose herself, but she kept feeling the corner of her mouth turn up into a smile when she looked at Emma. 

Emma knocked and then opened the door, looking around the door to the dining room, where her parents, Henry, and Elsa were sitting. 

“Ma!” Henry exclaimed as he ran up to hug Emma. 

She embraced him, “Hey, kid.” 

Regina slipped in behind her. 

“MOM!” Henry threw himself at Regina. She embraced him and kissed his cheek. “I am sorry, Emma needed me, it was an emergency.” 

“What happened?” Henry asked. 

“Emma’s magic was out of control, but we worked on it,” Regina simply stated. 

Henry was assured by what she said, “Of course you could help her. I knew it!”

Henry followed Emma to the couch to sit. Elsa got up and hugged Emma, “I’m glad to see you are all right.” 

Emma hugged her back, “Me too. I thought Ingrid really got to me for good, or for the worse. I’m better now thanks to Regina.” She looked over at Reinga who was standing next to Snow. She didn’t look pleased; in fact, she rolled her eyes and looked away as Elsa let her out of the hug. Emma didn't know what that was about.

Snow looked up at Regina who was looking at her. Snow grabbed her wrist. “I’m glad you were there for her, Regina.” 

“Yes, well,” Regina cleared her throat, “You’re welcome.” Regina flushed, looked away, feeling awkward. 

Snow studied Regina’s face for a moment before turning to her daughter, “Emma, we were worried. Why did you run?”

Emma replied, turning to her dad, “You saw what I did to the wall, and the lamp post, David. Didn’t you tell her? I was out of control. I didn’t want to hurt anyone.”

“Of course I told your mother. And Elsa did her best to answer our questions,” David replied.

Elsa nodded. “Ingrid left almost as soon as you ran off. But I grabbed her, trying to get her to help you. She said you didn’t need help. She wanted to give us our memories back before she enacted ‘The Spell of Shattered Sight’ in two days. She also told me that we didn’t have to worry, but it would bring to light the truth of how people see us. When I tried to get her to explain, she disappeared. Regina, have you heard of this spell?” 

“No, I can’t say that I have.” 

Elsa pursed her lips. “This is very frustrating. How are we to know what to do? We can’t wait for the spell to happen and figure it out then.” 

“I agree. Maybe we need to involve all other magical people in town. Rumple and Blue usually know obscure things, maybe they can help?” Snow asked.

Regina snorted, “Those two are usually no help. Sure they know things, but where are they when shit hits this town?” 

Everyone but Elsa in the room nodded their head in agreement.

“It’s worth a shot through?” Elsa said. 

“Yeah, I think so. Mom, can we meet in the Mayor’s office this afternoon. I’ll go talk to Blue, and Regina can you and Henry convince Rumple that it’s his best interest to get involved?” Emma asked.

Elsa got up, “I’ll go with you, Emma.” 

Regina’s eyes narrowed before she could protest. Henry got up excited, “Let’s go Mom!” He rushed to the door. 

Elsa and Emma followed after him. Regina stood still, watching them go to the door, not looking pleased. Snow looked up at Regina again. Snow noticed Regina’s face changed when Emma looked over her shoulder, and they exchanged warm smiles.

Emma asked, “Aren't you coming?” 

Regina headed for the door. Snow grabbed her hand. “Regina, you may want to re-button your shirt. I think you were in a rush when you got redressed this morning.” Snow gave her a smirk. 

Regina tried to give her a frow that said,  _ I don’t know what you are talking about _ look, but Snow maintained her knowing smirk and gaze, daring Regina to deny what she knew. Regina just lifted her eyebrow and fixed her shirt. Snow didn’t stop staring at her. 

Regina was glad to leave, in case Snow started to ask her questions. 

She listened to Emma and Elsa talk as they went down the stairs. Elsa said to Emma, “I see your ribbon disappeared too?” 

Emma held up her wrist, “Oh, right, it’s gone. I didn’t even notice.”

Regina wanted to know what the ribbon was about, but she wasn’t in the mood to hear Elsa explain anything to her.

\--------

“I know that curse,” Blue said as she walked into the Mayor’s office, flanked by two other fairies. 

Everyone else has been waiting for Blue to arrive. 

“Glad you could join us. Please, enlighten all of us,” Rumple snarked. “We have been waiting.” 

Blue gave Rumple a frown, looking at him up and down, appearing disgusted that she had to be in the same room with him. She started to get on with telling them what they wanted to know. “‘The Spell of Shattered Sight’ is taken from an ancient tale from beyond the mountains of Arendelle, where Elsa is from. A king had a mirror made for his daughter’s 15 birthday because he wanted her to see the beauty he saw in her. But before he could give the gift, she died. He was so broken and distraught that he turned to the dark arts for comfort. He took the mirror that now reflected all the ugliness in him and enchanted it to carry his sorrow and pain. He wanted his kingdom to share in his misery. He shattered the mirror and blew the broken glass to the wind to carry the curse across his kingdom. When it hit his subjects, it did more than just give them sorrow, their sorrow turned to rage, and the ones they once loved became the objects of their ugliness. They turned on each other, destroying themselves, and the kingdom fell.”

David was the first to ask, “So, this spell will bring out the worst in us, and make us turn against each other?”

“I’m afraid so,” Blue said. 

“Is there any protection from the spell?” Regina asked.

“It is a very ancient and dark spell, not unlike the one you casted. It takes time to come up with a counter spell. I don’t think we will have time, nor the resources. The good news is, it doesn’t last forever. It only lasts 36 hours.”

Regina snorted, “Only.”

Blue gave Regina a nasty look.

“Surely, we can’t all turn on each other. David and I are true love, we don’t have what it takes to tear each other apart,” Snow said through a nervous laugh. 

“My sister Anna is as loving and pure as they come. I’m pretty sure this is the spell that Ingrid put on her to capture me in that urn. She said some angry things to me, insane sounding accusations. None of us are that pure or nice.” 

“I’m really sorry about that, Elsa,” Emma said. 

Regina, standing next to Emma, stepped closer to her so that their shoulders were touching. Emma didn’t turn to look at her, but she pressed into her and gave a little smile. 

“I will do my best to protect myself and Belle, but it doesn’t appear that there is any way for us to stop the curse unless we stop Ingrid.”

“And nobody knows where she is hiding out?” Snow asked.

Everyone shook their heads. 

David spoke up, “I will head up a search team, get Hook, Robin and his Merry Men to comb the forest with me.” 

“I will put out some magical feelers to see if I turn up anything. Any chance one of you ladies happens to have an item of hers?” Rumple asked Emma and Elsa.

“No. I bet the ribbons would have been perfect, but they disappeared,” Elsa replied.

“What ribbons?” Regina asked.

“Ingrid gave us these yellow ribbons to tie around our wrists, giving us our memories back,” Emma said. She then reached into her pocket, “What about this?” She pulled out Regina’s mirror.

“You got it back!” Regina took it and opened it. “It’s missing a piece.” 

“She probably used it to complete her spell. It’s your magical mirror, correct?” Rumple asked.

“Yes.” Regina said.

“I could try and use that as a locator spell. But the magic has been mixed, so I am not sure if it will work.” 

“It’s worth a try,” Regina handed Rumple the mirror. 

Snow spoke up, “Ok, so, what else can we do to prep? Minimize access to weapons? Board up business as if there will be a riot? Lock ourselves up?” 

“All of that sounds great, Mom. The rest of us can help you out,” Emma said. 

“Oh, Emma, Elsa, there is a good chance that because you are in Ingrid’s favor, you will not be affected by the curse,” Blue said.

“That is what she told Elsa. That is two people who can help when shit hits the fan,” Emma said to Blue.

Blue flinched, not used to being spoken to so colloquially. As soon as Rumple left, Blue approached Elsa and asked, “Where did you get that necklace?” 

Elsa held it up and looked at it hanging around her neck, “It was my mother’s. I found it in my mother’s things, and when Anna got engaged, I gave it to her, since there was no wedding ring to pass on.”

Blue eyed it. “Very interesting how items travel. It’s magical, you know. It’s a wishing star.”

“It is? Does it really work?” 

“Yes, it does. It was mine at one point.” 

“Oh my goodness,” Elsa exclaimed, and started to take it off, “Here, you can have it back.” 

“No, no, you keep it. I don’t need it to grant wishes. It was just a badge I wore symbolizing my fairy roll, but over time, it became imbued with its own magical strength.” 

“And how did you lose it, Blue? Tell them…” Regina, who had been eavesdropping, spoke up.

Blue turned around sharply and said indignantly, “What do you mean?” 

“Rumor around the magical community is it was stolen from you by Blackbeard the Pirate. Care to elaborate how he got close enough to take it from you?” Regina grinned evilly. 

Blue narrowed her eyes at her and clenched her jaw. “It was a long time ago, but yes, Blackbeard did take it from me. I didn’t know where it went from that point. Apparently it fell into Elsa’s family, and I hope that it will stay with her.” 

Elsa didn’t like that Regina was insinuating anything, as well as interrupting her conversation. “Blue, if I can wish on it, then couldn’t I wish the curse wouldn’t hit?” 

“No, it doesn’t work against dark magic. It will give you your heart’s desire. You get one wish though.” Blue told her. She smiled at her sweetly just before leaving. 

“She wasn’t always a nun you know,” Regina said as she watched her walk away. 

Emma snickered and nudged Regina, “Ok, stop.” 

“What? All that magic she has, but she always refuses to step forward and help!” Regina said. 

“She was useful today,” Elsa tried defending her. 

Regina shrugged and put her hands in the pockets of her blazer. She turned to Henry. “What are your thoughts?”

Henry stayed quiet for a moment, looking down. “I think I’m actually scared. We can’t leave town because Ingrid has surrounded the town, and even if we could, who knows if everyone would retain their memories. Be nice if we had a magic bean, or portal to escape to, but that’s not an option. Mom, you can’t think of anything to protect us, anything?” 

Regina felt horrible. She hugged Henry tight. “I promise I will try and hold off for as long as I can. We need to find Ingrid and stop her. But you are my number one concern to protect. We will fight, your mom and I will do our best to protect you. Stay by our side today, for as long as you can. You are part of the team for right now, ok? And you always have good ideas.” She gave a small chuckle as she kissed the top of his head. “I love you. I don’t care what this spell may do or say.” 

Henry’s eyes were red. He held back tears. He was nearly a man, and he had to act accordingly. “I love you too, Mom. Thank you for believing in me.” 

Elsa looked at Regina and Henry and it warmed her heart. Regina was a bit prickly, but she could tell that if she loved you, she loved you with her whole being. It really made her miss Anna. 

“I wish Anna was here.” 

\----

For the rest of the day, Mayor Snow inform the citizens of Storybrooke that a curse was coming, and the options they had to protect themselves. Snow wanted citizens to remove anything that could be used as a weapon away from them, their household, dispose of, or lock them up as they saw fit. Emma and Regina came up with the idea that if people isolated themselves, they would charm their locations so that they were temporarily locked up and couldn’t get out to harm anyone. There were quite a few citizens who were weary of Regina using her powers against them, so Snow, David, and Henry made it a point to say that Regina would be personally doing the same for them. Still, other’s prefered Emma only. 

They got the word out, and hoped for good news from David on finding Ingrid, but they were finding no clues. Rumple had also failed to create a locator spell from the mirror. 

By evening, they were all weary with talking, repeating themselves, answering all manner of questions, and straining their minds to make sure they had all things covered. By then, many of the citizens were ready to have themselves shut away for the rest of the night, so Emma and Regina started to put their protection spells in place. They tried to get Elsa to learn how to form a protection spell so she could help, but she couldn’t get her magic to bend that way.

They continued to work through the night because they weren’t sure at what time Ingrid intended to cast the curse. 

Close to midnight, David texted Snow that he was returning to town. The Merry Men were still combing the forest. They refused magical help. They were going to destroy their weapons and tie themselves with chains to trees. That was a relief to Regina that she wouldn’t have to have contact with Robin, although for Roland’s sake she would have helped.

David also mentioned that he was coming back with a surprise. Snow told him to meet them in the patio of Granny’s.

Snow took this opportunity to feed Neal and put him down to sleep, hopefully. She wasn’t sure who could watch him in the next 36 hours. Elsa was with her, and promised to do her best to see to it that he was safe. Maybe Ingrid would have a heart. Emma and Regina had not returned from performing protection spells.

“Snow, are you still here? Great, and Elsa you are here too. There’s an old friend I’d like you to meet that I ran into in the woods,” David said. He turned and from behind the bushes he brought a woman forward, “I’d like you to meet Joan.” David had a big silly grin as he stared at Elsa.

Elsa looked up at the woman, “ANNA!!!” The two women flew into each other's arms, nearly knocking each other over and spinning each other around, laughing and crying.

Snow looked at David confused. The excitement woke up Neal. 

“Is that her sister! David, where did you find her?”

“In the forest as we were combing it. She was wandering around,” David replied. 

“But why did you call her Joan?”

“Believe it or not, I met her before. This was before we met. She came to my farm in search of something, and had nowhere to go. My mom took her in. She didn’t want help, she was being secretive, and said her name was Joan. We figured she was lying, but…” David explained. 

They heard Elsa finally ask Anna, “How did you get here? What do you remember?” 

“I dunno how I got here! I was actually back at our home. I was frozen, Ingrid did that to me after she tricked me, no, she cursed me into putting you into that urn. Oh my gosh, Elsa I am so sorry about that! I can’t believe I…” Anna started to tear up. 

Elsa grabbed her sister by the shoulders, “It’s ok Anna. I understand Ingrid put a curse on you. She is actually putting the town under the same curse tomorrow.”

Anna’s eyes widened. “Oh no! What will we all do?” 

Snow spoke up, “We are doing what we can. I think we will be ok. We have your sister to help, and my daughter, and Regina.” 

Anna nodded her head, although she didn’t know who she was talking about. “The spell doesn't last long. Just after Elsa went into the urn, I came to...and then Ingrid yelled at me because I guess that wasn’t her plan, and then she froze me, and Kristoff, and then...oh, Elsa, terrible news!” 

“More terrible than what you just said?!” Elsa asked.

Anna stammered, “It’s all pretty bad, isn’t it? Hans and his brothers. They barged into the dining hall to take over the kingdom. But Ingrid froze them too. I unmelted, so it were, but I didn’t see them unmelt. But that was only a moment until I disappeared and ended up in the forest! I thought I was back in Misthaven. I’m so grateful that David found me after a few hours. I doubt I really could have found my way to this curious little town. Where are we?” 

“Storybrooke.” David said.

“Is this near your house? I’m surprised I recognized you, you cut your hair. Hummm, I think I like this better. Is your mom here?” Anna said in one breath. 

David spoke: “Sadly, no. My mom passed away sometime ago. And Storybrooke is everyone’s town. We actually aren’t in Misthaven, or as we call it, the Enchanted Forest. Long story, but many of the inhabitants of the Enchanted Forest were cursed, and we ended up here. It hasn’t been too bad, except when we have to fight off villains.” 

“This sounds like an amazing story! I can’t wait to hear it someday!” Anna said. She turned to Elsa, “You have mother’s necklace. How did you get it!? I threw it in the fire.” 

“I found it here in Storybrooke believe it or not,” Elsa took it off and put it on Anna. “Here, it is yours. I think this is how you ended up here.” 

“What do you mean?” Anna said as she fingered the star. 

“A magical fairy told me it was her’s and it's a wishing star. Earlier, I wished you were here and here you are,” Elsa said as she reached up to stroke Anna’s cheek. “I have missed you so much, and been a mess without you here.” 

“I can’t even imagine I would have done well mentally if Ingrid hadn’t froze me. I don’t know what I would have done, knowing what I did to you. Well, I’d probably try to find a way to get you out of that urn, and I’d have to fight Ingrid, but things have worked out perfectly. A wishing star! Can’t you wish the coming curse away?” Anna asked.

“I already asked about that. Apparently it doesn’t work that way. It just gives you your heart’s desire. So be careful what you wish for,” Elsa laughed.

Suddenly they heard a thunderous roar. They looked up into the sky and saw sparks shooting out of what seemed to be a large dark cloud. The cloud quickly covered the sky and stars. 

Snow leapt up, holding neal. “David, we need to get home. Call Emma or Regina. Where are they?” 

Soon, Emma, Henry, and Regina ran down the street, and stopped suddenly seeing them there on the patio. Granny opened the door and stuck her head out. 

“What is happening?” Snow said anxiously to Emma. 

Regina spoke up. “It’s the curse. It’s coming.”

Anna looked up into the sky; wonder and fear filled her eyes, “The curse didn’t look like that when Ingrid put it on me!” 

Elsa held Anna’s hand, “That’s because it was just you she cursed. This one is large enough to cover the whole town.” 

“David, we need to get home,” Snow said.

Regina turned to them. “I don’t think there is time. The Sheriff’s station is just across the street, let’s all go there.” 

Granny called out, “Wait, Emma, seal the door?”

Emma nodded and waited for Granny to go inside. She enchanted the building so that nobody could get in, and Granny couldn’t get out. 

At the station it is quickly decided that Snow and David would each take one of the jail cells. Henry would be put into one of the interview rooms. 

“What about Neal?” Regina asked, looking very concerned.

“I am going to try and look after him for as long as I can. Hopefully Ingrid will be merciful,” Elsa told her.

Regina looked unconvinced, but there really was no other solution. She knew that she couldn’t watch him; she wasn’t certain of how long her own spell-resistor charm would last on herself. Regina waved a hand over the baby, “Let me put him to sleep. He can ride out the next 36 hours like this. But let’s lock him in one of the interview rooms just in case you can’t come back, Elsa.” 

“What about me? What can I do to help, or where should I go? I really don’t want to attack my sister again,” Anna asked Regina. 

“Who are you?” Regina tried to ask nicely at this critical moment.

“This is my sister, Anna,” Elsa said.

Regina raised her eyebrows, “Oh, good, you got her back.”

“Yes, actually, very good!” A flash of realization came on Elsa’s face. “You already experienced the curse. It can’t hit you again. You watch the baby, please!” 

“Yes! Of course I will!” 

Emma bursted into the station, “Ok, Granny is taken care of. There are still a few people out there who didn’t get a chance, so I guess we will have to manage them as best as we can.” Emma turned to Anna. “Hey, hi, who are you?” 

“Anna. Wow, you’re pretty. Elsa, don’t you think she looks a little like mom?” 

Elsa looked at Emma and tilted her head. “You know, she does a little. Maybe that is why she felt so familiar. In the eyes and mouth.”

“And mom’s freckles,” Anna smiled. 

Emma felt awkward, “Okay...you are Anna, the missing sister! Wow, where did you…you know what, nevermind, no time, but I’m glad you are here!” Emma turned to Regina, and then looked at Elsa, “We need to get out there and start to maintain order. Elsa, I presume Anna will stay in here?” 

Elsa and Anna nodded.

Emma started for the door. 

“Emma, wait,” Regina grabbed her arm. “Remember, at the slightest hint that I have no control, you will transport me to my vault, and seal it, correct?” 

Emma nodded, “Yes, but I am hoping it won’t come to that. Having you with me gives me strength.” 

Regina’s eyes shone with love and pride. She wanted to lunge forward and kiss her, but there was no need to put more surprises out there at this moment. Emma reflected her look, not without blushing. 

Anna caught Emma’s blush and said aloud, “How cute! They’re girlfriends?” 

Regina turned and looked at Anna mortified. Emma looked confused. Elsa also saw the looks; in fact, she saw a lot of things between them this past week. She turned to Anna and said, “I don’t think they are there yet.” She then opened her arms wide and swept the two of them out the door before they could respond to her not-so-smooth-sister. “Come on, we are needed outside, urgently.” 

When Regina stepped outside, she felt something stinging her eyes, “I think it’s hitting.” She crouched down, covering her face, trying to resist. 

“Regina, are you going to make it?” Emma knelt in front of her. 

Regina nodded. “Yes, I have pushed it back for now. I think I can hold out for a bit.” 

Emma helped her get up, and the three of them took to main street. 

The cloud was above them. It had covered the entire sky, and town, and they could see little shards of sparkle falling everywhere. The first people they saw on the streets running was Doc and Dopy, but they were too late to take cover. When the spell hit them, they froze and covered their eyes for a moment, crying out in pain, just as Regina had done. When they emerged, their eyes shone like silver marbles, and they looked at one another. Doc shoved Dopy to the ground. 

“You stupid mute! So stupid you can’t talk. You know how irritating it is trying to communicate for you? Any of us? You are useless! Maybe you should just die!” 

Doc jumped on top of Dopy and started to punch him. 

Emma ran over and pulled Doc away. He cursed and screamed at her to let him go. She threw him up against a lamp post and summoned chains to bind him up. Huffing and puffing she said, “There, stay there for now.”

Regina caught Dopy as he got up. He was running toward Emma and Doc, fists balled up, his face contorted in anger never seen before on him. Regina hoisted Dopy in the air and put him on another lamp post. Elsa created ice chains to bind him.

Regina turned to Elsa, “Well, look at that, you can do something.” 

Elsa wasn’t sure how to take that, but she took it as a compliment. 

“Emma!” 

Emma turned around quickly and saw Hook walking towards her, arms stretched out. She was alarmed, thinking that Hook was coming after her, cursed. “Stay back! I don’t want to hurt you.”

“What do you mean, luv? I’m here to help you.” He showed no signs of slowing down.

Emma peered into his eyes. “It looks like you haven’t been cursed yet, but you will be soon. I have to restrain you. Wait, are your eyes blood-shot? Have you been drinking?” 

The closer he got, the more she could smell the rum. “Just a little-lot, lass, but I hear there is trouble and I’m here to save you!”

Emma was not taking any action, so Regina stepped in, putting Hook in a choke-hold, “Stay right there. When the curse hits, you will be useless to her. You can’t resist it. Nobody can. We will just have to detain you until it passes.”

Hook tried to talk, but couldn’t. Emma put a hand on Regina’s choke hand. “Let him go. Push him to that light post over there. At this rate, we are gonna be out of light posts.”

Elsa stepped in, “I can bind him with ice.” 

In a matter of minutes, Hook was up against the post and iced down, but his mouth was still free. “Swan, how can you not trust me? You trust that wicked witch, but not me?”

“Oh my god, Hook, seriously, where have you been this whole time? Drinking, feeling sorry for yourself since I let you down?”

He didn’t reply to her question. He hung his head in shame. Then suddenly, he threw his head up and his body seized up. The curse finally hit him. When he looked at them, they could see his eyes glowing sliver. 

He gave Emma a cold stare, and then started to laugh. “I am done trying with you, Emma. I think I am finally coming to my senses. I chase after you, and try and try, but for what? I think I like this curse. I feel reborn! I see you clearly now for what you are–nothing more than a pretty blonde distraction, and there are many women out there willing to give themselves to me. You will regret losing me and I will revel in your pain. You push away those that you love, you know, and you will remain alone; Emma Swan, the forever orphan!” Hook began to laugh, but suddenly his jaw was in pain. He spit blood from his mouth. 

Regina shook her fist. She never hit someone that hard before. 

She walked over to Emma who was holding back tears. 

“I’m sure it was mostly the curse that was making him talk like that. Ignore his cruelty.” Regina said to her. 

She looked at Regina. “And if your spell falls, what will you say to me. I don’t think I could bare it.” Tears began streaming down her face. 

Regina pulled her into a hug. “Let’s not get to that point. Whatever I say, you have permission to punch me in the face like that, ok?”

Emma squeezed her as she laughed. 

There was a slow clapping in the distance. 

They turned around and Ingrid was in the middle of the street. “Sweet, but why haven’t you turned yet?” Ingrid threw up her hand and tore Regina from Emma’s embrace. “The point was not to stay away from those you love, but confront them and see what they have to say about you.” She held Regina in place.

Elsa pushed out a blast. “Let her GO!” 

But Elsa’s blast went right through Ingrid this time. 

“When you put on those ribbons, it gave you your memories back, but it also magically bound us as sisters. We can’t harm each other.” 

“Then as my sister, I’m asking you to let her go,” Emma asked Ingrid as calmly as she could. 

“Well, since you asked nicely,” Ingrid said, releasing Regina. She doubled over. 

“Regina are you ok?” Emma ran to her side. Regina nodded.

“She can’t hold out for this long, I’m sure,” Ingrid snapped her fingers and Hook was released. 

He started to charge toward Emma, but Regina stopped him, magically throwing him back and knocking him unconscious. She doubled over again, holding her face. “Emma, I don’t think I can…” 

Emma wanted to hold her, lend her her power, but Ingrid sensed it and held her back. “Now, now, let the curse do what it's supposed to do, sister.” 

Emma watched Regina stand up, her eyes glowing silver. She gave Emma an evil smile. “So much for your powers, Savior.” She inhaled the air deeply, “Smell that magic in the air. It’s so satisfying.” She looks down at herself as she turns toward Ingrid. “What in the world am I wearing?” She waved a hand over herself and changed into an Evil Queen dress–tight black corset, layers of hooped skirts, and a collar as high as her hair. She put a hand on her hip and looked at Ingrid lustfully. “Like what you see? Not sure what the pirate was whining about, but I loved being distracted by blondes.”

Ingrid smiled at her pleasantly, “Compliment taken, however, I am not like my sister in that way.” 

The Evil Queen pouted. “Oh well, I’m not feeling particularly amorous right now anyway. I have failed at my mission while in Storybrooke, and that is to see Snow White taken down once and for all. Excuse me while I go visit an old friend.” She swooped her skirts as she turned and stalked off to the Sheriff station.

Emma, imoblie from Ingrid, is finally released when Regina is out of sight. “What the hell, Ingrid! Stop fucking around with my town!” She tried to send another blast her way, but was unsuccessful. 

“I am curious what the two of them will have to say to each other, now that your mom can speak her mind. Shall we go see? After all, I think Emma really needs to hear what her parents really think of her,” Ingrid said as she walked off toward the Sheriff station. 

Emma looked at Elsa and nodded her head to follow. She leaned into Elsa, “This will all be over in 36 hours. We are not going to let her destroy the town.”

When Ingrid opened the door to the station, they heard yelling, and screaming, and what sounded like swords. 

Emma and Elsa rushed past Ingrid and saw Snow and Regina fighting each other with swords. Suddenly, Snow was thrown across the room by magic from Regina. Snow hit the desk, taking the computer monitor to the floor with her. Emma winced and yelled out, “MOM!” 

But soon, Snow was back up with her sword, “You said no magic, Regina!” 

“And you said you could keep a secret,” Regina screamed at her. 

Snow charged her, “I was TEN!!!” Snow swung her sword at Regina, who blocked her swiftly. 

The two of them barely knew Elsa, Emma and Ingrid were watching.

“Elsa, go check on Henry, Neal, and your sister” Emma said. 

Ingrid sharply turned around. “What did you say? Where is she going?” 

Emma ignored her and watched Snow and Regina, hoping that if something death-defying was going to happen, she could protect them and not have Ingrid interfere.

Ingrid followed after Elsa. Emma realized that the kids and Anna could be in danger. She had to leave Snow and Regina much to her dismay.

Elsa was in the hallway, trying to explain to Anna what was happening when Ingrid laid eyes on her. “YOU! What are you doing here!” 

Anna held on tight to Neal, “Please don’t hurt the baby. You won’t hurt a baby, right?” 

Neal started to cry. 

Henry pounded on the door, “Who is out there? Let me out!”

Ingrid narrowed her eyes at them. 

“Ingrid wait, please, hear Anna out. She has made a great discovery!” Elsa pleaded.

“Yes! Yes!” She handed the baby to Elsa next to her, and reached into the room for a scroll. “While I was sitting here waiting with the baby, I thought to myself how I wished we knew what happened that made you so angry and hurt, and suddenly this appeared. It’s a letter from our mom, your sister, explaining what happened!” 

Ingrid clenched her jaw. “You lie. Where did you get that?!” 

Elsa touched Ingrid's arm, “Please, Ingrid, let’s just listen to what the letter says.”

Anna said, “It’s real. I promise. It has the seal of my mother on it. Listen: 

_ I don’t think your father and I will ever get back to you, but I need you to know that we were wrong to conceal Elsa’s powers. We came looking for a way to help rid her of her powers, but this storm has come to stop us, maybe even punish us for what we were trying to do. You need to know that I had two sisters, and one, Ingrid, she had powers just like Elsa. I did something terrible to her because I thought she had killed our middle sister Helga, but I learned recently that was not the case. It was a terrible accident. But I reacted poorly and trapped her inside a magical urn, then had the rock trolls erase all memory of them from the kingdom. The three of us were so close, and they were beautiful, and I lost them and let the pain and fear of what happened, of what I have done, guide my life. Elsa, when you manifested power, it was a reminder of that life I once had, and what I did to my sister. But I cannot live life in fear of my beloved daughter. I pray this letter gets to you. The two of you must fix the wrong that I have done if your father and I do not make it back. Find my sister–she is in an urn hidden in the Northern Valley. Release her. Tell her of my regret and sorry. I should have celebrated her, protected her. I’d give anything to take back what I did and hold her in my arms one more time. I have always loved her and I always will. I know that she will love the two of you as I have loved you, and I wish for you to all be the loving family that we used to be when we were young. Attached is the memory stone of my sisters. Restore them to Arendelle, never let them forget how wonderful they were.”  _

Ingrid listened, tears filling her eyes. 

When Anna was done reading, she looked at her with tears in her eyes too, but Ingrid’s eyes flashed back with anger. She put up her hand, and gripped Anna physically by the throat. “That letter is a LIE! My sister always feared me, and she wished me dead!” 

Elsa and Emma tried to stop Ingrid, but she froze them in place. 

Anna managed to talk through the grip, “I understand why you casted that curse on me. You thought I was like my mother, I’d eventually turn on Elsa. But it’s ok, we can come back from this together.” 

Ingrid growed, “You don’t understand me because you are nothing like me! Your kind never will!” 

“I understand that my mother loved you for who you are. It’s a lesson that I can love you like her too, like I love Elsa. Family never gives up on each other.”

Ingrid dropped her and slaped her, taking the letter. She placeed her finger on the stone and saw the memories of her sister. She felt all the love her sister had for her, and Ingrid broke down on the floor crying. 

“What have I done,” Ingrid sobbed. “I have spent so much time being angry, searching for Emma to force her to be something she isn’t, hurting my niece, being a terrible example for you Elsa. I was so wrong. All I wanted was the love of my sisters again.”

Emma stepped forward and Elsa gave her Neal. Then Elsa and Anna both knelt besides their aunt, wrapping their arms around her. Elsa said, “It’s ok. You made a mistake, just like our mother made a mistake. But we are family, and we need to forgive each other for our wrongs. I did love you once before, so did Anna. We all did. You are worthy of love, and we are ready to give it to you.” 

Ingrid nodded, and her nieces let her cry. 

Henry continued to pound on the door, but Emma had to ignore him. It made Neal cry. She didn’t want to intrude on the family moment, so she stayed as still as she could, bouncing Neal up and down, trying to get him to settle down. Was it possible that he too was cursed? His teary eyes prevented her from seeing. She figured it didn’t matter anyway, just what could he say to anyone? What did matter is it made it difficult to listen for Snow and Regina, who were still fighting. She closed her eyes and concentrated on transporting Regina to her vault. It became quiet, and she casted the protection spell on the vault. 

Snow came running down the hall. “Where is she! She fights so unfairly! I hate her!” When she laid eyes on Emma, she pointed at her, “YOU! Give me my baby! You will not fry him like you almost did the other day, you monster!” 

Emma was shocked by her words, but she knew it was the curse talking. 

Ingrid stood up, “Stop!” She reached out and froze Snow in place. 

She turned to Emma. “Those are the things I wanted you to hear, so you would love me again. That is so unbelievably wrong. Can you forgive my desperation? We aren’t family I know.” 

Emma looked at her, “I’m not going to lie and say that I am not irritated at you for the trouble you have caused. But I get being consumed by negative feelings because you have been wronged. I have regretted not giving forgiveness to people I should have, but I now believe in second chances, happy endings. We  _ are _ family. The memories I have of being with you are filled with love, the most love I ever felt. And you were going to adopt me. You loved me, right, not just for my magic?” 

Ingrid smiled, “I was eager about the magic. But I regretted pushing that issue. I would have loved to have spent the last 10 years getting to know you, being in your life, having the privilege of being your mother in this world. Without your magic, you are a remarkable person.” She pulled Emma into a hug, squashing Neal between them. 

Neal became quiet.

Emma embraced her back and teared up. The last 10 years would have been so different had she stayed with Ingrid. She wouldn’t have had Henry, and then how would she have made it back to Storybrooke? And then there was Regina…

“I think Neal likes being smothered,” Emma stroked the top of his head when she pulled away from Ingrid. “Little weirdo.” 

“So now what do we do from here?” Elsa asked. 

“I’d like to help,” Ingrid said, “The curse will last for only so long, so I suppose we can continue your plan and protect people from each other until it’s over.”

Emma went to knock on the door with Henry, “Hey, kid, sorry, but I’ll have to leave you in there for a while longer. Be back soon!” 

“No! Don’t leave! That is what you always say, later, but you lie like all adults!” 

Emma shook her head, she didn’t want to talk anymore to Henry and make him say things he didn’t mean. He would be back to himself soon.

\------

A few hours before the curse broke, Emma drove to the vault. She wanted to be the first to see Regina when the curse broke. She was tempted to go in early. She wasn’t sure why. When she saw her in the past, she terrified her; she reasoned that Regina had every opportunity to harm her, but she didn’t, right away. But, Regina was in a different state of mind currently, however, so it probably wouldn’t be a good idea. 

She checked her watch. Maybe she could go in like ten minutes early. Regina did accuse her of being reckless. 

Emma paced it so that she entered just a minute after the curse broke. When she saw Regina, she was sitting on a chair with her eyes closed. 

“Regina?”

She opened her eyes and looked at Emma, “I feel like I have a hang-over. Oh god, what am I wearing?” She looked down at her gown as she stood up. She raised her hand up, but Emma stopped her. 

“No, wait,” she came up to Regina and hugged her. “There’s something about this outfit on you that I really like.” 

Regina gave her a little grin, “You’ve never seen this before…”

“No, I did see you like this before, and it took my breath away how stunningly beautiful you were in it, and also a little frightening.” 

Regina laughed, “Emma, you have a fetish I think we need to develop.” 

“Hummm, yes, and I also adore it when you laugh.” Emma leaned in and kissed her deeply. “I’ve waited 36 hours to do that.” 

“Have you? Oh my, wait, what happened to Ingrid?” 

“Things worked out with Ingrid, a wishing star miracle. The others, don't know, I came here first.” 

“Oh, Emma...my Emma,” She captured her lips in hers, sucking gently on her bottom lip before pulling away. 

Emma’s knees wanted to buckle, but she stayed strong. 

Regina pulled back. “There will be time enough for us later. I really think we should free our son.” 

“I like the sound of that. Hold onto me.” Emma transported them to the Sheriff station. 

She meant to take them to the hallway where Henry was, but instead, she transported them near her office, in front of her parents. 

“Emma!” Snow said excited, but then with a touch of confusion. She looked at David. 

David had a surprise look on his face as he looked at his daughter, embracing Regina. 

The two of them pulled away quickly. Regina waved her hand and opened their doors. Emma stood back and put her hands in her back pockets.

Snow smirked and looked at them, then looked at David knowingly, although he still appeared a little confused. Snow was about to say something when Anna came in with Neal, Elsa and Ingrid following behind. 

“Spell is over, Neal, look who it is! Mommy and daddy!” Anna said as she came toward Snow, oblivious to what had transpired just moments ago. 

David went on defence, and jumped in front of Snow, Anna and Neal. “What is she doing here? Do you know she followed you in?!” 

“David, it’s ok. It’s all ok. It’s a long story, but it's ok. We are all family.” Emma said.

David looked at her skeptically, but he stopped being defensive. 

Ingrid approached them. “I’m sorry for all the trouble I have caused. There is no excuse for my actions, but I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me. I will not be a burden like that ever again, and I am more than happy to help wherever possible.” 

Snow smiled at her, and approached her. She put her hand out. Ingrid looked at it strangely, but eventually took it. “Welcome to Storybrooke, Ingrid. We look forward to getting to know you.” 

Anna squealed with glee, Elsa laughed at her. 

“Thank you for being so gracious to our aunt,” Elsa said.

“Has anyone freed Henry? I’m gonna go do that right now,” Emma said. Regina followed her. 

Henry was overjoyed that his mothers were safe. He stormed out of the room, clutching his Once Upon A Time story book. “I’m so glad that is over; having dark thoughts really sucks. Now I think I understand why it’s so important to have love. It keeps us sane.” 

His mothers giggled at his comment. 

“My, Henry, you are so smart and wise beyond your years,” Regina said to him. 

“Hey, kid, I don’t remember locking you in with the book,” Emma said.

“No, you didn’t. But it showed up. I was bored, and I was full of bitterness.”

“Bitter about what?” Emma asked.

Henry stayed quiet. 

“Henry, I think that you can tell me. I would probably understand,” Regina said. 

“I’d try to understand. You should never be ashamed to tell me anything,” Emma said. 

Regina grabbed her hand and squeezed it. 

Henry noticed that they were being nice to each other. “I've got more to tell you than just how I felt. There's some stuff that pertains to Operation Mongoose too!”

He took them back in the room and put the book down. “So I was bitter because everyone has a story in the book, except for me, and I was getting really upset at Operation Mongoose because where was my story? So I was trying to distract myself from my thoughts by looking through all the cabinets for something to do, and I found the book. So I started flipping through it and when I came to the end, I found this…”

Henry opened a page toward the end of the book, and turned it towards them. It was a picture of Emma and Regina kissing. The two of them were taken back and shocked. Henry blushed. “You’re not mad, are you?” 

“I, well, I um, can explain,” Regina started to say. 

“Please tell me that is the ONLY picture in there,” Emma asked. 

“Yes, that's it. What other pictures would there be? Ew, gross, don't wanna know...but is the book telling the truth?” Henry asked. He stared at his mothers looking embarrassed. “Wait, let me rephrase that. I don’t really think it's gross. I don’t wanna see anything more than a kiss is what I was trying to say. Anway, Mom, your story has updated you. It’s your redemption story of how you have changed, and how you have found true love in another with a lion tattoo. Is this telling the future? Did I ruin it by showing you? I know how stubborn you two can be.”

“What?!” Emma and Regina both said to him. 

“You didn’t ruin anything. Emma and I have come to realize that we care for each other more than just friends.” 

“And we did share a kiss…” Emma put it out there. “But the lion tattoo…” Just then, Emma looked at her wrist, and then held it up. 

Henry got excited and flipped back to another page in the book. “Look, Ma, it's the same flower on the Charming’s coat of arms—a Lyon flower.” 

Regina looked at Emma’s wrist. “I saw that on the night of dinner. I didn’t get to ask you about it.” 

“I forgot to mention it to you. I got it to remind me of Lily, and how I messed up with her,” Emma told her. 

Regina nodded. “Well, fate has a weird way of making things happen. Or rather insisting that things happen a particular way.” 

Henry just smiled at them. “We still don’t know who the author is, but I don’t want to give up. They apparently are still out there somewhere, and they knew what we were up to!”

“We can solve that mystery later, I suppose, but book or no book, I think I have followed my heart, and I am glad for it,” Regina said as she looked at Emma fondly. 

Emma gave her a stupid grin, “I agree.” 

Henry pulled them both in for a hug, “I couldn’t be a more lucky kid.” 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Much appreciated. This was an unplanned story, now off to other works that have been patiently waiting. With that said, I have no current plans for a sequel to this story. Maybe someday, but no promises.


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